“Exclusion from the Asian Games 2026 squad is disheartening”: Manika Batra
India’s leading table tennis player Manika Batra has questioned the process behind her exclusion from the main squad for the 2026 Asian Games, calling for greater transparency and consistency in the application of selection criteria. The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) on Thursday named Manika among the reserve players for the continental showpiece despite her being India’s second-highest ranked women’s singles player in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings. In a detailed statement issued after the squad announcement, Manika expressed disappointment over both the decision and the manner in which it was reached. “My exclusion from the Asian Games 2026 squad is deeply disheartening, not only because of the outcome, but because of the manner in which the selection criteria appear to have been interpreted and applied. No specific reason has been communicated to me,” she said. The former Commonwealth Games champion also appealed to the Sports Ministry and the Indian Olympic Association to review the matter. “I respectfully request the Hon’ble Sports Minister and the leadership of the Indian Olympic Association …







