Harmeet Desai Claims Non-Selection From Asian Games Singles Event 'Unfair'

India's leading table tennis player Harmeet Desai feels he has been "unfairly" left out of the singles competition for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou. Harmeet, an important member of the Indian table tennis team over the last 10 years, has been picked in the Asian Games squad but will only feature in team and mixed doubles events. Veteran Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan have been picked ahead of Desai for the singles competition as only two entries are allowed. "It is going to be my third Asian Games and as per the selection criteria, which includes both domestic and international performances, I should be playing singles as well and not just team and doubles," Harmeet told PTI.

The 29-year-old from Surat on Tuesday became the highest-ranked Indian at the back of a productive last month when he reached the semifinals of the WTT Contender in Lagos and pre-quarterfinals in WTT Contender in Tunis.

He also beat two top-20 players along the way. He is now ranked 64 ahead of Sharath (69) and Sathiyan (88). However, when the team was picked on June 27, Desai (71) was behind Sharath (54) and Sathiyan (60) in the ITTF rankings.

As per the selection criteria of Table Tennis Federation of India, 50 percent weightage is given to domestic performances, 40 percent to international and 10 percent is left for selectors' discretion.

TTFI secretary general Kamlesh Mehta said the decision of the selection committee was unanimous and players were picked for the singles event as per the international rankings at the time of selection .

"It was a unanimous call taken by the selectors who factored in the world rankings at the time of selection," said Mehta, himself a former India player and Arjuna awardee.

The deadline to submit player