Asian Games 2026: Manav-Manush pair leads India’s table tennis medal hopes
The Indian table tennis team is preparing for the 2026 Asian Games, with high hopes pinned on the men's doubles pair of Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar. The team has arrived early to acclimate to local conditions and aims to secure at least one medal.
Why it matters
Success in continental sporting events like the Asian Games is a significant marker of national athletic development and international standing for India.
A confident Indian table tennis team, led by the men's doubles pair of Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar , begins its Asian Games campaign on Sunday (September 20, 2026)with a target of winning at least one medal.
The Indian men's team faces Indonesia in its first match of Group F and plays against Iran in its second match on Sunday (September 20).
The women's team is also placed in Group F and starts its campaign against Indonesia before taking on Singapore in its second match of the day.
India had won an unexpected bronze in the last edition through the women's doubles duo of Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee.
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