From Sportstar · Amol Karhadkar · · 3m
₹25 crore. 10 athletes. 1 medal
India’s table tennis team wins bronze at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with one medal from 10 athletes after years of struggle.
In brief
India’s table tennis team wins bronze at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with one medal from 10 athletes after years of struggle. India’s table tennis team won a bronze medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, extending their streak to three consecutive Asian Games medals but revealing deep structural issues in preparation and…
India wins third straight Asian Games table tennis medal
India secured a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, extending their streak to three consecutive editions.
“The bronze won by Manush Shah and Diya Chitale in mixed doubles extended India’s run of winning a table tennis medal to three successive editions of the Asian Games.”
Mixed doubles bronze team
Manush Shah and Diya Chitale, sixth-seeded pair, qualified for the 2025 WTT Finals and won bronze after defeating Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem.
“They justified that pedigree by overcoming third seeds Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem of Hong Kong in the quarterfinals to assure India of a medal.”
Men’s team struggles
Manav Thakkar and Manush were beaten by Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Hiroto Shinozuka in the round of 32, despite Harimoto being a top singles player.
“Manav Thakkar and Manush, seeded second, were beaten by Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Hiroto Shinozuka in the round of 32.”
Women’s team performance
Sreeja Akula and Yashaswini Ghorpade exceeded expectations by topping their group and defeating Thailand in the pre-quarterfinals before losing to North Korea.
“Sreeja and Yashaswini played pivotal roles as India topped its group after overcoming Singapore.”
Men’s team challenges
India lacks a formidable third men’s player capable of consistently taking on the world’s best, leaving Manav and Manush carrying an even greater load.
“With Harmeet and Sathiyan no longer at their competitive peak, India lacks a formidable third men’s player capable of consistently taking on the world’s best.”
Preparation issues
The Table Tennis Federation of India faced administrative turmoil, including Manika Batra’s exclusion from the squad and a suspension of recognition by the Sports Ministry.
“The controversy surrounding Manika Batra’s exclusion from the Asian Games squad in June and July became a prolonged public dispute over selection criteria.”
Coaching uncertainty
High Performance Director Massimo Costantini’s reappointment was delayed due to TTFI’s administrative crisis, and he joined the team only a week before the Asian Games.
“The uncertainty also affected the national team’s coaching structure. Massimo Costantini’s contract had expired on May 15, and his reappointment as High Performance Director was delayed amid the TTFI’s administrative turmoil.”
Structural gaps
World rankings can be misleading at Asian Games, as players from nations like Iran, Malaysia, and North Korea often produce higher quality results despite lower rankings.
“Players from nations like Iran, Malaysia, and North Korea do not regularly feature on the gruelling WTT circuit, meaning their rankings often fail to accurately convey the immense quality they can produce on the table.”
Medal significance
The mixed doubles bronze validated Manush and Diya’s partnership, which has spent years climbing towards the world’s best, while the women’s team showed India can punch above its weight.
“The bronze won by Manush and Diya validated a partnership that has spent years climbing towards the world’s best.”
Next steps
India needs a more stable administrative and coaching environment to build a broader, deeper table tennis program before the next Asian Games.
“The sport needs a more stable administrative and coaching environment in which those objectives can be pursued.”
Key takeaway
One medal from 10 athletes and a reported expenditure of more than ₹25 crore does not tell the full story of Indian table tennis at Aichi-Nagoya.
“One medal from 10 athletes and a reported expenditure of more than ₹25 crore does not, by itself, tell the full story of Indian table tennis at Aichi-Nagoya.”
Structural concerns
The men’s team desperately needs a credible third player, and the leading doubles pairs need to convert international rankings into results on major multi-sport stages.
“The men’s team desperately needs a credible third player. The leading doubles pairs need to convert international rankings into results on the biggest multi-sport stages.”
Future outlook
India’s table tennis program must use the medal and the misses to build a broader, deeper program before the next Asian Games.
“So, perhaps the more pertinent question is not whether India did enough in Japan. It is whether Indian table tennis can use the medal, and the misses surrounding it, to build a broader, deeper programme before the next Asian Games.”
The next question
India’s table tennis program must address structural gaps to win more medals at future Asian Games.
“Is anybody listening?”
Conclusion
India’s table tennis team won a bronze medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, extending their streak to three consecutive editions but revealing deep structural issues in preparation and team depth.
“India won a table tennis medal for the third successive Asian Games, but Aichi-Nagoya also exposed the nation’s lack of depth in the sport, troubled preparation for the Games and over-reliance on a handful of players.”
The one thing
India’s table tennis team won a bronze medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, extending their streak to three consecutive Asian Games medals but revealing deep structural issues in preparation and team depth.
