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Manav-Manush Target Asian Games Table Tennis Podium
Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah are Indian table tennis players who have been friends for 13 years.
They began playing doubles together formally in 2023.
Manav is better known for counter-attacking, while Manush attacks the ball more strongly.
One player is right-handed and the other is left-handed, which helps them move around the table more easily.
They also understand each other because they have travelled and lived together for many years.
During matches, they give each other instructions in Gujarati.
The pair recently reached major international milestones and became world No.
3.
They will be seeded second at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
They hope their teamwork can help India win a medal.
Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah have risen to world No. 3 in men’s doubles.
The Gujarati pair combines Manav’s counter-attacking style with Manush’s aggressive play.
Their right-left combination gives both players more room to use their preferred forehands.
They communicate during matches in Gujarati rather than relying on hand signals.
Seeded second at the Asian Games, they face strong contenders from China, South Korea and elsewhere.
- Who
- Indian table tennis players Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah.
- What
- The world No. 3 men’s doubles pair is preparing to compete for an Asian Games medal.
- Where
- The Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- When
- The article discusses their rise over the past 12 months and the upcoming Asian Games.
- Why
- Their complementary playing styles, right-left combination and long friendship have helped make them strong contenders.
Medal Opportunity
Competitive Threats
Partnership strengths
Medal Opportunity
Their right-left combination, complementary styles and long-standing friendship have helped them become world No. 3 and a strong medal contender.
Competitive Threats
Their opponents include highly ranked Chinese and South Korean pairs, while unseeded teams can also cause early-round upsets.
Confidence versus pressure
Medal Opportunity
Manush believes the pair is competing at a level that makes them strong contenders at major events, and Manav welcomes the pressure of pursuing their dream.
Competitive Threats
The pair has previously lost to Lim Jong-hoon, including a narrow quarterfinal defeat at the 2023 Asian Games after leading in the deciding game.
Key facts
- Current world ranking
- World No. 3
- Career-best ranking
- World No. 2
- Asian Games seeding
- Second seed
- Partnership history
- Friends and teammates for 13 years
- Early success
- Bronze at the 2018 Asian Junior Championships
- Recent achievement
- WTT Contender Lagos title and semifinals at the 2026 Singapore Grand Smash
- Match communication
- Gujarati instructions instead of hand signals
Quotes
Manav Thakkar
Indian table tennis player and Manush Shah’s doubles partner
“As a junior I didn’t have the awareness (about the benefits of a right-left pair). But now I find it difficult to combine with a righty even in mixed doubles.”
indianexpress.com
“Till one year back we were solid but made a lot of errors. Now we are levelling up each other’s game. He is making fewer mistakes and I am taking more risks.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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