CWG 2022: Why India’s men’s Table Tennis coach sat for the women’s tie

S Raman, Indian men’s table tennis coach, on Monday sat courtside when the women locked horns with Malaysia. The designated women’s coach of the Indian team, Anindita Chakraborty, was absent. 

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The defending champions, led by star paddler Manika Batra, faced a 3-2 loss in the last-eight stage. Reeth Tennison and Sreeja Akula lost the opening doubles match 1-3 (7-11 6-11 11-5 6-11) before Batra came up with a 3-2 (11-8 11-5 8-11 9-11 11-3) win over Ying Ho in the singles.

After Akula defeated  Li Sian Alice Chang 3-0 (11-6 11-6 11-9) to take the lead, Manika Batra lost to Karen Lyne 3-0 (6-11 3-11 9-11). Ying Ho then beat Tennison 3-2 (10-12 11-8 6-11 11-9 11-9 ).

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Addressing Anindita Chakraborty’s absence, S D Mudgil, member of the Committee of Administrators running the suspended Table Tennis Federation of India, said, “This should not have happened, women’s coach should have been guiding the players in the match. I will take this up with the team.”

Mudgil, who was supposed to be the team manager of the Indian team in Birmingham, has stayed back in India to accommodate the players’ request for sports psychologist Gayatri Vartak, who joined the squad on Monday.

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Raman, who happens to be the personal coach of male player G Sathiyan, was seen coaching Reeth Rishya as the quarterfinal went down to the wire.

“It was very close. Combinations were totally different for us. A defensive player, a left hander and right hander mix up was little challenging for us. The girls fought hard and it was an off day,” said Raman after the unexpected result.

Malaysia have reached the gold medal clash.

A PTI source revealed that there are some problems in the Indian camp. 

“The atmosphere in the team is the not best, let’s just say that. Women’s coach should have been sitting courtside since she knows more about the players. Don’t know why Raman decided to sit instead,” the source said.