Asian Games: Sreeja Akula Eyes Historic Breakthrough as India Targets Table Tennis Medal

India head into the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a table tennis squad that combines international experience, promising young players and high-ranked doubles partnerships.

The country has won three Asian Games medals in table tennis, all bronze. The latest generation, however, comes into the continental event after gaining greater exposure at the highest level and producing encouraging results in recent competitions.

The 10-member squad features experienced players such as G Sathiyan and Harmeet Desai, while Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah form one of India’s strongest men’s doubles combinations. Sreeja Akula leads the women’s team, which also includes Yashaswini Ghorpade, Diya Chitale, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Syndrela Das.

India’s confidence has also been boosted by winning both team titles at the 2026 Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships. The Asian Games will nevertheless be a considerably tougher challenge, with the continent’s leading table tennis nations in contention.

Manav-Manush Pair Among India’s Main Hopes

Sathiyan, Harmeet, Manav, Manush and Payas Jain comprise the men’s squad, while Ankur Bhattacharjee and Ronit Bhanja have been named as reserves.

Sathiyan, Harmeet and Manav were part of India’s men’s team that won bronze at the 2018 Asian Games. Their previous experience could prove valuable as India look to improve on their continental record.

The biggest spotlight, however, is likely to fall on Manav and Manush. The pair are currently ranked third in the world in men’s doubles.

Having played together as juniors, the two reunited at senior level in 2023. Their right-left combination has since developed into an effective partnership, with Manav’s counter-attacking approach complementing Manush’s aggressive left-handed game.

They came within one win of an Asian Games medal at Hangzhou, held in 2023, before losing in the quarter-finals. They now return with greater experience and a substantially improved position in the world rankings.

Sathiyan and Harmeet give India another experienced doubles option, while Payas provides additional depth for the team and singles competitions.

Sreeja Leads India’s Women

Sreeja Akula will be one of India’s key players in the women’s events after gaining significant experience at the Paris Olympics.

She reached the singles round of 16 in Paris after defeating Singapore’s Zeng Jian 4-2. Her run ended against world No. 1 Sun Yingsha.

Sreeja was also part of India’s memorable women’s team campaign at the Olympics. Partnering Archana Kamath in the opening doubles match, she helped India beat fourth-seeded Romania 3-2 and advance to the quarter-finals.

Yashaswini Ghorpade enters the Asian Games after a strong performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Championships, where she defeated Sreeja in the singles final. Sreeja and Syndrela Das also won the women’s doubles title at the event.

Syndrela, who is just 17, will make her Asian Games debut. Her presence underlines the emergence of younger players in India’s women’s table tennis setup.

Manika Batra’s Reserve Selection Draws Attention

The women’s team selection also generated discussion after Manika Batra was placed among the reserves rather than the main squad.

Under the TTFI selection policy, national rankings carry 50 per cent weightage, international rankings 40 per cent and selectors’ discretion the remaining 10 per cent.

Batra was ranked 51st in the world when the squad was selected but did not have a national ranking because she had not participated in domestic competitions.

She questioned the transparency of the selection process, while the federation said her candidature had been considered according to the existing selection criteria.

India’s Search for a First Asian Games Gold

India’s table tennis medal journey at the Asian Games began in 2018, when the men’s team won bronze in Jakarta-Palembang. Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra then secured another bronze in mixed doubles.

India added a third medal at the Hangzhou Games, held in 2023, when Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee won bronze in women’s doubles.

The country has yet to win a silver or gold medal in Asian Games table tennis.

Aichi-Nagoya presents another opportunity to improve that record. Manav and Manush bring a top-three world ranking in men’s doubles, Sreeja has Olympic knockout-stage experience and Yashaswini arrives as a Commonwealth singles champion.

The presence of experienced players such as Sathiyan and Harmeet could also strengthen India’s chances in the team events.

However, the Asian Games will present a markedly different level of competition from the Commonwealth Championships. India will face established table tennis powers from across Asia, making consistency and performance under pressure crucial.

The Aichi-Nagoya campaign will therefore test how far India’s recent progress has taken the sport. With stronger doubles combinations, greater international experience and an emerging group of young players, India will look to turn its three previous bronze medals into a broader Asian Games medal haul.

INDIA TABLE TENNIS SQUAD FOR ASIAN GAMES 2026

• 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)

INDIA’S TABLE TENNIS MEDAL WINNERS IN ASIAN GAMES

2018 — Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia

Bronze: Anthony Amalraj, Harmeet Desai, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Sharath Kamal & Manav Thakkar — Men’s team
Bronze: Sharath Kamal & Manika Batra — Mixed doubles

2022 — Hangzhou, China

Bronze: Sutirtha Mukherjee & Ayhika Mukherjee — Women’s doubles

TABLE TENNIS SCHEDULE FOR ASIAN GAMES

September 20, Sunday

Men’s team – group stage
Women’s team – group stage

September 21, Monday

Men’s team – group stage and knockout rounds
Women’s team – group stage and knockout rounds
Women’s doubles – opening round

September 22, Tuesday

Men’s team – round of 16 and quarter-finals
Women’s team – round of 16 and quarter-finals
Mixed doubles – opening rounds

September 23, Wednesday

Men’s team – semi-finals
Women’s team – semi-finals
Men’s singles – opening round
Women’s singles – opening round
Men’s doubles – opening round
Mixed doubles – preliminary rounds

September 24, Thursday

Men’s team – final
Women’s team – final
Men’s singles – preliminary round
Women’s doubles – preliminary round

September 25, Friday

Men’s singles – preliminary rounds
Women’s singles – preliminary rounds
Men’s doubles – preliminary rounds
Women’s doubles – preliminary rounds
Mixed doubles – quarter-finals and semi-finals

September 26, Saturday

Men’s singles – quarter-finals
Women’s singles – quarter-finals
Men’s doubles – quarter-finals
Women’s doubles – quarter-finals
Mixed doubles – final

September 27, Sunday

Men’s doubles – semi-finals and final

Women’s singles – semi-finals and final

September 28, Monday

Men’s singles – semi-finals and final
Women’s doubles – semi-finals and final