Boys set for title clash in battle for supremacy

Indore (Team Newsbuddy): With the girls having set the stage, the UTT 86th Cadet and Sub-Junior National Championships now turn to the boys, where intense competition awaits at the Abhay Prashal Indoor Hall. While rankings have placed West Bengal, PSPBA, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu & Kashmir at the top of their groups, the true test begins on the table tomorrow onwards.

PSPBA’s depth, Bengal’s hunger for redemption, and Tamil Nadu’s well-rounded squad make them the frontrunners, but with individual brilliance scattered across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Assam, and Haryana, upsets are inevitable. The title is there for the taking—only the sharpest and steeliest will seize it in a tournament where 33 state and institutional teams will compete for the ultimate honour.

By the end of the three intense days, only one team will emerge as the champion, standing atop the podium with gold medals around their necks. While silver and bronze (awarded to two teams) will be up for grabs, those finishing second or third will know they fell just short of the ultimate prize.

The stakes are high, and today’s draw placed last year’s runners-up, West Bengal, as the top seed in Group A. Defending champions PSPBA (Petroleum Sports Promotion Board Academy) find themselves in Group B, while Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir lead Groups C and D, respectively.

The team draw is based on the ranking points of each squad’s two best players. However, rankings alone do not dictate the final four or the eventual champion.

For example, Bengal’s Aditya Das (360 points) leads a strong squad, supported by a teammate with 60 points, giving them an edge in placement. In contrast, Jammu & Kashmir’s top position in Group D is thanks to Ritvik Gupta (240 points), but his teammates have just one point each. This heavy dependence on a single player makes J&K’s knockout prospects uncertain.

Among the favourites, PSPBA boasts a balanced squad, led by Sahil Rawat and Vivaan Dave, both expected to play crucial roles in singles and doubles. Bengal will rely on Aditya Das and Shrestho Chakraborty to mount a strong challenge. Tamil Nadu also poses a serious threat, with Akash Rajavelu and Vishruth Ramakrishnan leading their charge, supported by K. Akshay Bhushan and Mohammed Murtuza. Their collective performance will be key to staying competitive.

But the tournament isn’t just about the top four seeds. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Assam, and Haryana all have talented individuals who could shake up the draw. Watch out for Shouren Soman, Atharva Nawarange, Abheek Kashyap, and Eshan Nayak, who will be instrumental in their teams’ fortunes.

Aside from J&K, most top teams have the depth and quality to secure knockout-stage berths—barring surprises in the group stages. Even last year’s bronze medallist, Odisha, faces an uphill battle to match their previous performance. Meanwhile, lower-ranked teams will aim to secure second-place finishes in their groups to keep their championship hopes alive.

The action-packed first day will feature Under-11 group matches, running alongside doubles events in Under-13 and Under-15. Singles qualification rounds will commence on the second day.

Ensuring fair play throughout the event, Competition Manager N. Ganeshan will lead the refereeing panel, supported by referee Mangesh Mopkar and deputies P.B. Baskar and R. Krishna Kumar, with over 60 umpires. As always, Stag equipment will be used for the next four days.

Meanwhile, racket testing, introduced in Junior and Sub-Junior Nationals, continued at the Senior Nationals in Surat, and now in Indore. TTFI found several non-compliant rackets among girls, who were warned and asked to use a second racket. On the rest day, boys were offered voluntary testing, with compulsory checks set for the next four days.