DELHI, INDIA: Table-tennis star Manika Batra was in the news last week for being excluded from the squad that will represent India at the 2026 Asian Games. Batra was ostensibly left out of the squad since she is currently ranked 51st in the world. Only players inside the top 50 rankings are considered for the Asian Games. Strangely, only Sreeja Akula, at WR 45, is ranked ahead of Batra in the squad.
However, some confusion arose as it was later clarified that being outside the top-50 in the world was not the sole criterion for Batra’s exclusion. In 2023, the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) formed a selection policy which allocates 50% to national rankings, 40% to international rankings and 10% to selectors’ discretion.
According to this policy, Manika Batra was not eligible since she had not participated in any national-level competitions since 2023. Despite this, her name was put up for discussion in the committee’s meeting on 7 and 9 June. The first four spots were straightforward – Sreeja Akula, Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale and Syndrela Das.
For the fifth name, the names of Manika Batra, Swastika Ghosh and Sutirtha Mukherjee were discussed. Ghosh and Mukherjee were separated by a small margin in the qualification criteria, but Batra was well behind the duo by at least 15 points. Nonetheless, due to her seniority (Batra won bronze in mixed doubles in the 2018 Asian Games), her name was put up for discussion.
With no clear consensus, the selectors decided to put the matter to a vote. Unfortunately, this went against Batra, with a 5-3 scoreline in favour of excluding her, with one member abstaining. Nonetheless, she was named in the reserves and will be called upon to represent the country in case someone gets ill or injured during or ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.
Manika Batra has not taken her rejection from the 2026 Asian Games lying down
Mukherjee eventually got the nod for the fifth spot in the women’s team, with both Manika Batra and Ghosh named in the reserves. Batra did not take this rejection lying down, writing to the TTFI, the Indian Olympic Association, as well as the Sports Ministry and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene, stating that at world ranking 51, she was close enough to be selected.
“I remain very close to that bracket… I find it difficult to understand how this alone becomes a decisive factor, outweighing long-standing performance at the highest level. I respectfully request the Hon’ble Sports Minister and the leadership of the Indian Olympic Association to kindly look into this matter,” she said, as per The Hindu.
It must be remembered that Manika Batra is one of the most celebrated paddlers in the country, having won a bronze medal in the 2018 Asian Games, as well as four Commonwealth Games medals, including two golds. Batra has also won four South Asian Games medals, which consist of three golds.
No one selected in the Indian squad for the 2026 Asian Games has a higher world ranking than Batra, except Sreeja Akula. This hints towards a bias which the TTFI must look into. A player of the calibre of Batra cannot be ruled out simply because of her unavailability at national-level tournaments, especially when she was representing India internationally at the same time.
ALSO READ – Amid Israel-Palestine war, Jyoti Chouhan’s move to Bnot Netanya divides Indian football supporters
If you liked this article, consider subscribing to our website to stay in touch with the latest updates in sports. You can also follow the India Sports Tribune on X and Instagram. We would love to talk to you!
Leave a Reply