Manika Batra Excluded from Main Indian Table Tennis Squad for Asian Games 2026

In a surprising decision, Manika Batra has been excluded from the main Indian table tennis squad for the Asian Games 2026, being placed on the reserve list instead. The team will be led by Sreeja Akula and G Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, with selections based on a combination of national and world rankings. Despite being a top player, Batra's absence from domestic competitions impacted her ranking. The Asian Games will take place from September 20 to 28, with India aiming to improve its medal tally in table tennis.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 19, 2026, 02:54 IST

Manika Batra's Surprising Exclusion

New Delhi [India] - In a surprising turn of events, Manika Batra, a prominent figure in Indian table tennis, has not made it to the main squad for the upcoming Asian Games 2026. Instead, she has been placed on the reserve list, as reported by a leading sports outlet.

The Indian table tennis team for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Games will be led by Olympians Sreeja Akula and G Sathiyan Gnanasekaran. The contingent consists of ten players, evenly split between men and women, with two reserves for each gender.

The selection process was guided by the federation's criteria, which allocates 50% weight to national rankings, 40% to world rankings, and 10% to the discretion of the selection committee.

Despite her status as one of India's top paddlers, Batra's absence from domestic tournaments has negatively impacted her national ranking, resulting in her reserve status. She is still recognized as the second-highest-ranked Indian in women's singles globally.

Sreeja Akula, currently the highest-ranked Indian female player at world number 45, will lead the women's team, which also includes Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Sutirtha Mukherjee, and rising star Syndrela Das.

On the men's side, veteran Sathiyan will lead a team that includes Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, and Payas Jain.

The table tennis events at the Asian Games 2026 are scheduled from September 20 to 28, featuring competitions in team, singles, and doubles formats.

Historically, India has secured only three bronze medals in table tennis at the Asian Games. Notably, Batra and Sharath Kamal won a mixed doubles bronze in Jakarta 2018, while Sathiyan, Desai, and Thakkar contributed to another bronze for the men's team in the same event. Additionally, Sutirtha and Ayhika Mukherjee earned a bronze in women's doubles at Hangzhou 2023.

Asian Games 2026: Indian Table Tennis Team

Men: G Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, Payas Jain.

Women: Sreeja Akula, Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Sutirtha Mukherjee, Syndrela Das.

Reserves: Ankur Bhattacharjee, Ronit Bhanja (men); Swastika Ghosh, Manika Batra (women).