Veterans Mantu, Raman missing in 9-member Indian team for Melbourne

Jaipur, Feb 26 (UNI) Creditable performance in the just concluded Senior Nationals notwithstanding, veterans S Raman and Mantu Ghosh found their names missing in the nine-member Indian TT team announced today for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games beginning from March 15.

While 36-year-old Raman failed to defend his Senior National title losing out to eventual winner Subhajit Saha in the semifinals, Mantu emerged runner up among the eves.

Announcing the squad after the conclusion of 67th Senior National Table Tennis Championship here, the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) secretary general M C Chouhan said the team comprised four men and five women paddlers.

Manchaster Commonwealth gold medallist Sharath Kamal and his nemesis and national champion Subhajit, Soumyadeep Roy and Shivaji Dutta will board the flight to Melbourne.

Poulomi Ghatak and national champion Mouma Das will spearhead women's challenge.

Meanwhile, Kamal and Poulomi will also represent India in the Asia Cup beginning in Japan from March 4.

Team for Commonwealth Games: Men: Sharath Kamal, Soumyadeep Roy, Subhajit Saha, Shivaji Dutta (all PSPB).

Women: Poulomi Ghatak, Mouma Das, K Shamini (all PSPB), Kasturi Chakraborty, Nandita Saha (both North Bengal).

coach- Benonegrigori Manager- D R Choudhary.

Team for Asia cup: Sharath Kamal and Poulomi Ghatak.

coach-Kamlesh Mehta.

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