Gandhidham: With the boys’ competitions at the UTT 87th Inter-State Sub-Junior and Cadet National Table Tennis Championships concluding yesterday, attention now shifts to the girls’ section as the action moves into the Under-15 team events at the M. P. Mittra Indoor Stadium in the Haresh Sangtani Sports Complex from tomorrow.
The next phase of the tournament promises a packed schedule, beginning with team encounters and concurrently progressing into the Under-11 and Under-13 singles group stages, ensuring sustained intensity over the coming days.
West Bengal and Maharashtra emerge as the standout contenders, both locked at 465 points. With only the top two players’ ranking points considered for seeding, the tie had to be resolved by a draw, placing them on top of Groups A and B, respectively. Both sides boast strong top-order depth—Bengal with Ankita Chakraborty, Shreya Dhar, and Sreejani Chakraborty, and Maharashtra, powered by Naisha Rewaskar and Aadya Baheti—making them early favourites to progress deep into the knockout rounds.
Just behind them, Karnataka (194 points) and PSPB A (180 points) appear as serious challengers, with quality players capable of doing the job. Karnataka, leading Group D, will rely heavily on the experience of Tanishka Kalbhairav and Raashi Rao, and the supporting cast, while PSPB A heads Group C with Aarya Redkar and a balanced lineup capable of upsetting higher-ranked teams. These two sides are likely semifinal contenders if they maintain consistency.
In the next tier, Assam (125), Rajasthan (115), and Gujarat (111) could play the role of dark horses. Assam tops Group E and should comfortably advance. Rajasthan in Group F and Gujarat in Group G will face relatively open fields, giving them a realistic chance of reaching the knockout stages. Tamil Nadu and Punjab, though lower in total points, have individuals capable of producing match-winning performances and could spring surprises.
The hosts, Gujarat, will look to carry forward the momentum generated in the boys’ section, where they clinched the Under-15 team title and saw Vivaan Dave emerge as the singles champion. Riding on that success and home support, Gujarat’s girls will be eager to make an impact in the team event before turning their focus to the singles competition, which begins later on the second day. The Under-15 girls will first navigate the group stage battles before the main draw gets underway, adding another layer of intrigue to their campaign.
The remaining groups appear more evenly matched. Group H, featuring Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar, could see a tight contest for qualification spots. Similarly, Groups F and G include teams with modest point differences, making them unpredictable and competitive.
Overall, while West Bengal and Maharashtra start as clear frontrunners, the draw structure and the depth across several teams suggest the championship could open up beyond the top seeds. With short-format team ties and young players in contention, momentum swings and individual brilliance are likely to play a decisive role as the tournament unfolds over the next four days.
About the Author
