CHITALE IN CWG SQUAD AFTER COURT FRACAS, MANUSH STILL IN THE RESERVES
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NEW DELHI: Young Indian table tennis player Diya Chitale, who had approached the Delhi High Court over her exclusion from the women’s CWG squad, was on Tuesday included in the side for the July-august event at the expense of Archana Kamath. However, Manush Shah, who had also filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court against his non-selection, remains a reserve player with no changes made in the men’s squad, which will be led by Sharath Kamal.
The Committee of Administrators (COA) running the suspended TTFI had last week announced a provisional women’s team comprising Manika Batra, Kamath, Sreeja Akula and Reeth Rishya in the team with 19-year-old Chitale as the standby.
The team was subject to clearance from SAI but on Monday the Sports Ministry threw the ball back in Coa’s court, saying squad selection was the responsibility of the national sports federation. The selection committee, chaired by COA member SD Mudgil, met again on Monday after SAI’S response and finalised the team. Kamath, who was supposed to play doubles alongside Manika, has been excluded from the squad and Swastika Ghosh is on standby.
“There is only one change. Diya comes in as the fourth player in place of Archana. Archana did not meet the criteria but we thought she is also a good medal prospect (as she is world number 4 alongside Manika). But we were in a dilemma and that is why we went to the SAI and sought its guidance.
“The selectors took the call to include Diya who has also done well domestically and as well as in international events. She would be playing the doubles alongside Manika,” Mudgil said.
The selection factors in performances in domestic (50 percent) and international tournaments (30 percent) while 20 per cent is left for the selectors’ discretion. However, the COA has decided to change the ratio to 40-40-20 from the next season.