New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) India’s table tennis star Manika Batra on Thursday raised concerns regarding “the consistency of application of selection norms” after she was dropped from the Asian Games squad for not meeting the criteria set by the TTFI.
The 31-year-old’s exclusion was due to her absence from domestic events because of which she does not feature in the Table Tennis Federation of India rankings. She is part of the reserves alongside Swastika Ghosh.
“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,” Manika said in a statement.
“A key concern remains the consistency of application of selection norms. If discretion forms even a small part of the process, then the manner in which it is applied must be transparent, uniform, and clearly recorded. Any variation in its application naturally raises questions of fairness and equal treatment.” She said she had never asked for special treatment while representing India for almost two decades, but she also expected that the same rules and standards be applied consistently to every athlete.
She sought the intervention of Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the Indian Olympics Association top brass in the matter.
She also has sought a detailed explanation for her non selection.
“I have formally sought a detailed explanation regarding my non-selection, including the complete basis of the decision, applicable norms, selection criteria, and the manner in which each factor was weighted in my case. I expect a clear, structured, and factual response supported by documented criteria.
“I respectfully request the Hon’ble Sports Minister and the leadership of the Indian Olympic Association to kindly look into this matter to ensure that the process is transparent, consistent, and fair to all athletes. I am seeking full clarity and accountability so that there is no ambiguity in how selection decisions are made at the highest level.” The 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4.
The table tennis events will be held between September 20 and 28.
Manika, who has won multiple medals at the Commonwealth Games and a historic mixed doubles bronze at the 2018 Asian Games, is currently India’s second highest-ranked female player at 51, behind Sreeja Akula who is 45th in the latest ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) rankings.
Earlier in the day, the TTFI said it selects players based on international and national rankings.
“The selection process ensured that India’s highest-ranked and most consistent performers earned the opportunity to represent the country at Asia’s biggest multi-sport event,” said TTFI.
As per the selection policy drafted in 2023, 50 percent weightage is given to national rankings, 40 percent to world rankings and 10 percent is left to the discretion of the selection committee.
“As per publicly reported information, the selection framework is understood to be based on a combination of World Ranking, National Ranking, and Selection Committee discretion. If this is indeed the case, then transparency requires that each component and its application be clearly explained to the athletes concerned,” Manika said.
“I also note that during the previous Asian Games selection cycle, players who were outside similar ranking thresholds in both World Ranking (beyond the top 50) and National Ranking (outside the top 10) were still included in the squad under special considerations and were given special privileges. This makes it important that the present selection clearly explains how the same or similar principles have been applied or not applied in my case.” She said she found it difficult to understand how rankings alone became a decisive factor “outweighing long-standing performance at the highest level”.
“With respect to World Ranking, I am currently World No. 51, having moved just outside the Top 50 very recently. The margin is extremely narrow, and I remain very close to that bracket. I have not dropped to a distant range; rather, I am at a marginal difference where movement in either direction can occur within a single ranking cycle.
“In such a context, I find it difficult to understand how this alone becomes a decisive factor outweighing long-standing performance at the highest level. It is also important to highlight that international ranking points operate on a rolling system, where older points are replaced and removed as part of the cycle.” She also argued that rankings do not always reflect the complete picture of current form, and consistency at a high international level should also be considered.
“Rankings therefore do not always reflect the complete picture of current form. If ranking is being used as a key criterion, then the timeline and sustainability of ranking movement should also be considered, including whether such changes are recent or sustained over time… My current form reflects consistency at a high international level.
“If rankings and numbers are to be the primary basis of selection, it is also important to recognise that ranking fluctuations are dynamic for all athletes within the same competitive cycle and can change significantly over short periods.” On the national ranking criteria, she said, “Regarding National Ranking considerations, I understand that domestic performance has been cited in the selection discussion. However, with the increasing number of international tournaments and the demands of maintaining consistent performance at the highest global level, it is not always feasible to participate in every domestic event.
“Throughout my career, my focus has been on representing India in international competitions consistently, and national ranking should therefore be viewed in the context of these international commitments rather than in isolation.” PTI PDS BS PDS TAP
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