Manika Batra Dropped From Asian Games Squad
India named a 10-member squad for the 2026 Asian Games, with Manika Batra listed as a reserve after missing the federation’s domestic selection criteria.
- On Thursday, the Table Tennis Federation of India named Manika Batra as a reserve for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, after she failed to meet mandatory selection criteria regarding domestic event participation.
- Batra's exclusion stems from her absence from domestic tournaments, leaving her unranked in national standings; under the 2023 policy, national rankings carry 50 percent weightage, world rankings 40 percent, and selector discretion 10 percent.
- Despite being India's second-highest-ranked female player at 51, Batra trails Sreeja Akula, ranked 45th. The TTFI stated the selection process ensured "highest-ranked and most consistent performers" earned the opportunity to represent the country.
- Sreeja Akula leads the women's squad alongside Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Sutirtha Mukherjee, and Syndrela Das. The men's team features veterans G. Sathiyan and Harmeet Desai with Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, and Payas Jain.
- Batra remains on standby alongside Swastika Ghosh for the Aichi-Nagoya Games. She previously won multiple Commonwealth Games medals and a historic mixed doubles bronze at the 2018 Asian Games, though she missed this roster.
11 Articles
11 Articles
India Table Tennis Squad For Asian Games 2026: Manika Batra Named In Reserves After Missing Selection Criteria Cut
Manika Batra has been dropped from India’s Asian Games squad after failing to meet TTFI selection criteria due to absence from domestic events, which affected her rankings. She remains on the reserves list alongside Swastika Ghosh for the Aichi-Nagoya Games (Sept 19–Oct 4)
Manika Batra dropped from Table Tennis squad for Asian Games, TTFI explains reason
Manika Batra has been left out of India's table tennis squad for the upcoming Asian Games after failing to meet the selection criteria laid down by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). Even though she is the country's second-highest-ranked women's player in the latest world rankings, TTFI didn’t consider her for the Games. Notably, the squad for the 20th Asian Games, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, was…
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dtnext.inManika Batra Dropped From Asian Games Squad For Not Meeting TTFI's Selection Criteria
India's most recognisable table tennis star, Manika Batra, was on Thursday dropped from the national squad for this year's Asian Games as she did not meet the selection criteria set by the TTFI.
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