Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships: India may have got the toughest group opponents on paper, but captain and ace paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal is confident of the national team retaining the cup at the 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

The tournament begins from Wednesday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack - the first being team events.

India men's team are clubbed with Singapore and Scotland in group B, while England - the top-ranked team - are placed in group A along with Sri Lanka and Cyprus.

According to the format, two teams from each group will qualify for the second stage and Sharath said India would be aiming to sweep the gold medals.

“Indeed, we are in the toughest group but since England, Nigeria and Singapore have not fielded their best players, Indian men should win the team and open events,” said Sharath according to Scroll.

The Tournament:

The 21st edition — seventh in India — will see 12 teams vying for glory at the Jawaharlal Nehru indoor stadium. In the last four years — India tallied three gold, four silver and seven bronze medals in Surat.

England has travelled without their top two players - World No. 15 Liam Pitchford and veteran Paul Drinkhall - while Nigeria has travelled without star paddlers Aruna Quadri (World No. 21) and Segun Toriola.

India, on the other hand, has stuck to G. Sathiyan (World No. 24) and A. Sharath Kamal (World No. 32).

As for the women, Singapore has not sent its top four players and Australia are travelling without their highest-ranked paddler. Manika Batra-led India will be in contention for the gold as they take on Scotland, followed by Singapore.