Swastika Ghosh becomes third Indian player to move Delhi High Court over exclusion from CWG squad

Swastika Ghosh on Thursday became the third table tennis player to approach the Delhi High Court over exclusion from India's Commonwealth Games squad. Her father and coach Sandeep Ghosh told PTI that they have a filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court and the matter will be heard on Friday. "She is number four as per the selection criteria and should be in the team," said the father.

Diya Chitale and Manush Shah had also sought the HC's intervention in the matter. Chitale has now been included in the squad at the expense of Archana Kamath but the selectors did not include Manush, who too is in the top-four as per the criteria, in the men's team when the Committee of Administrators running the TTFI announced the final squad on Tuesday. Manush's case will also be heard on Friday.

Swastika, 19, was named as a standby with the revised squad comprising Manika Batra, Chitale, Reeth Rishya and Sreeja Akula. The men's squad includes veteran Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai, Sanil Shetty with Manush on standby. SELECTION CRITERIA IN FOCUSThe selection criteria, which factors in domestic performances (50 percent), international performances (30 percent) and selectors' discretion (20 percent), has attracted a lot of attention with the players moving court for "justice".

The CoA has made it 40-40-20 from next season with a player ranked in the top-32 getting an automatic entry. A former India player requesting anonymity said a selection criteria has to be in place for big events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. "Selection criteria acts as a guiding light to the player.