Raman bats for recently proposed national TT selection criteria

In a statement to The Hindu, Raman said the ranking system proposed by CoA gives recognition and encouragement for international success while insisting that it gives adequate weightage for domestic performance.

REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE: Raman said the success of Indian players in recent times is a good sign that the sport is growing.

It is an open secret that former National table tennis champion and Olympian S. Raman has been a votary of Committee of Administrators (CoA) from the time it took charge of the affairs of Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). The 51-year-old has batted for CoA’s new proposed selection criteria to get into the Indian teams. In a statement to The Hindu , Raman said the ranking system proposed by CoA has a clear understanding of rules for selection and that it gives recognition and encouragement for international success while insisting that it gives adequate weightage for domestic performance. Raman said it allows “discretion of selectors to weigh in when unforeseen circumstances emerge.” He further said: “I am equally happy that the draft (proposed selection criteria) has been published for comments and feedback. It is unprecedented and the most democratic process.”

READ |

According to the Dronacharya Awardee, earlier “players selections left much to be desired. While there are always players in all teams that select themselves, a few spots see intense competitions. It is in these circumstances where bias, favouritism and nepotism creep in and our game has been no exception. Several recent instances demonstrate that published criterion for selection has been set aside.”

Raman said the success of Indian players in recent times is a good sign that the sport is growing. "The unprecedented success at the last (2018) Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the recent success of Sharath Kamal, G. Sathiyan and Manika Batra and the World No.4 ranking attained by Manika and Archana Kamath in women's doubles and the World No.7 ranking by the mixed doubles combination of Manika and Sathiyan augurs well for India," he said.