Indian Men's Doubles Team Achieves Historic World No. 2 Ranking

Historic Achievement for Indian Table Tennis

The men's doubles team of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah has made headlines by reaching a remarkable World No. 2 position in the latest ITTF World Rankings, released on Monday. Just a week prior, they had already made history by becoming the highest-ranked Indian players ever, achieving World No. 3.

Currently, Thakkar and Shah hold 3,390 rating points, trailing only behind China's Lin Shidong and Huang Youzheng, who lead with 5,160 points. Their rise was aided by the decline of other competing pairs, notably France's Alexis and Felix Lebrun, who fell to World No. 5.

This achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian table tennis, as the previous highest ranking for any Indian player or pair was World No. 4, reached by Archana Kamath and Manika Batra in 2022. Thakkar and Shah's ascent to No. 2 within a week has rewritten the record books.

The duo's consistent performances on the WTT circuit have been key to their success. Their most notable result was a semifinal finish at the 2026 Singapore Smash, which earned them 900 ranking points. They also secured 580 points from a quarterfinal finish at the 2026 US Smash.

Additionally, they gained 350 points each for reaching the quarterfinals at both the 2025 China Smash and the 2025 Euro Smash, while a runner-up finish at the 2025 WTT Star Contender Foz do Iguaçu added 420 points. Their title win at the 2026 WTT Contender Lagos contributed another 400 points, solidifying their position among the world's best.

As they continue to compete on the WTT circuit, Thakkar and Shah aim to maintain their momentum leading up to the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. Their impressive rise in the rankings enhances India's chances for medals in table tennis, positioning them as one of the country's top contenders.

Meanwhile, Payas Jain and Ankur Bhattacharya have also made strides, moving up two spots to World No. 18 with 990 ranking points, making them India's second-highest-ranked men's doubles pair.