Vadodara: As the girls’ segment of the championships concluded, the spotlight has shifted to the Under-19 Boys’ team events. Players from 31 states and institutions gathered at the team hotels and the SAMA Indoor Sports Complex, engaging in rigourous practice sessions ahead of the competition starting tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the competition department used the transition day to finalize team and other draws, positioning defending champions West Bengal in Group A, followed by runners-up Tamil Nadu in Group B, and last edition’s semifinalists Maharashtra and Assam in Groups C and D, respectively. Quarterfinalists Delhi, PSPBA, Haryana, and NCOE filled Groups E through H, emphasizing their status as strong contenders.
Except for Group A, which comprises three teams, the remaining 28 teams were distributed across seven groups of four. Only the top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stages, beginning with the pre-quarterfinals. Among the top seeds, West Bengal emerges as the favourite, led by their star performer Ankur Bhattacharjee. Ankur’s impressive showing in the National Ranking Championships has cemented Bengal’s position as the team to beat. With solid support from Punit Biswas and Shankadip Das, Bengal’s squad appears poised for another title run, while their fourth player, Oishik Ghosh, offers additional reinforcement.
Tamil Nadu could pose a serious challenge, driven by rising star P.B. Abhinand, an Under-17 paddler. However, their success depends on the form of left-hander Preyesh Raj, whose inconsistency could test the team’s resilience. Support from M.R. Balamurugan and Manikandan Sundar will be crucial. Maharashtra banks heavily on Kushal Chopda, supported by Sharveya Samant, Dhruv Shah, and the unpredictable Neil Mulye. Assam, with Priyanuj Bhattacharyya and Divyaj Rajkhowa Roy, and Delhi, counting on Atherva Gupta and Sudhanshu Maini, also remain in contention, aided by their supporting casts.
PSPB Academy, featuring Sahil Rawat and Arjav Gupta, could emerge as a dark horse, much like NCOE, which relies on Emon Adhikary with Souunav Barman, Deboshrut Dutta, or Srijit Bhattacharya stepping up when needed. Haryana’s young team, led by Rishab Mayank, Siddhant Kataria, Nikunj Attri, and Saikat Sutradhar, will aim to replicate their previous year’s performance. For others, individual brilliance may occasionally shine, but steadiness will likely separate the top teams from the rest.
Hosts Gujarat, drawn in Group G, should be the second team to make the qualification cut for the knockout stages.
Alongside the team events, U-17 group qualifications will run concurrently on the first day, adding intensity to the race for the singles title. U-19 group qualifiers and doubles will follow these matches, testing skill and stamina.
A skilled refereeing panel, led by Competition Manager N. Ganeshan and supported by seasoned officials Mangesh Mopkar, P.B. Baskar, and Krishna Kumar, will oversee the competition, ensuring a seamless start to proceedings at 9 a.m.
