India placed in Group B for Commonwealth TT Championship

India, the favourites to win the men's team title, will be led by Sharath Kamal and G. Sathiyan.

Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra are part of India's men's and women's squads for the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships.

Host India has been clubbed with Singapore and Scotland in Group B in the men's competition of the Table Tennis Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship which begins in Cuttack on Wednesday.

Both Singapore and Scotland are ranked way below India (No. 11) at 61 and 91 respectively. With England, ranked 10th, not sending its top players, it must be a smooth sailing for India in the men's team championship.

The Indian men's challenge will be led by Sharath Kamal and G. Sathiyan. 

The women's team has also been pitted in Group B and will have to face the hurdles from South Africa, Wales and Sri Lanka to book a place in the knockout stage of the tournament. Manika is the only Indian in the Top 100 of the women's rankings.

Pakistan had pulled out of the tournament on Monday due to visa issues. Ghana and Guyana were the other teams that did not get government clearance to participate in the tournament in Cuttack. The late withdrawals meant the number of participating countries dwindled from 17 to 12.