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India table tennis has consistently broken records in the last six years ever since the historic Commonwealth Games haul back in 2018. The sport's popularity has risen by leaps and bounds thanks to consistent showings in quadrennial events like another impressive show in the 2022 CWG while the paddlers created history by medaling in consecutive Asian Games, a feat never done before.

As with any popular sport, it has had its own share of controversies ranging from coaching, to player selection. But despite the myriad issues, the paddlers are in Paris hoping to create history. Follow our elaborated Paris Olympics Coverage

Let us not forget that history has already been created with India sending its largest table tennis Olympics contingent comprising six paddlers and two reserve players, double their previous best.

For the first time since the category was introduced back in Beijing 2008, India will be playing in both men's and women's team events, having qualified through their world ranking.

To add to this, Manika Batra is set to become the first women paddler from the country to take part in three Olympic games while A Sharath Kamal will join an elite list of Indian athletes to represent the nation in five Olympics while he will also be one of the flag-bearers in the opening ceremony, a scene that should provide a huge fillip to paddlers around the country.

The Table Tennis Federation of India and the Sports Ministry have tried their best to provide the tools required including a thorough selection process as well as training camps in Bengaluru and Saarbrucken, Germany before the team landed in Paris.

The addition of the genial yet experienced Massimo Costantini as coach (back for a third term) has provided another timely boost with quite a bit of thought put into team combinations and strategies based on selected opposition.

Qualifying for the team events was a huge goal that Sharath has kept emphasizing and one that finally came true while quite a few paddlers have kept harping on about how on their given day, anything can happen as past results have shown.

Indeed, not many would have expected women's pair of Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee to claim an Asiad bronze while Sharath himself took a set off the legendary Ma Long last time out in Tokyo. There was optimism building when three paddlers got seeded ahead of the draw while team events represented the best shot at an unlikely medal as long as they avoided all the big guns till the quarterfinals.

However, the Olympics are a different ball game altogether and a podium finish has kept eluding the players. Unfortunately, going by the draw that took place a couple of days ago, Paris is unlikely to be any different barring a miracle. The men's team will have to face top seeds China, who are four-time gold medallists, in the opening round.

Gold has never eluded them since the team event was introduced, such has been their dominance! The women will face off against Romania, who are no pushovers and are ranked higher than India while a win could potentially lead to a clash against Rio silver medalists Germany.

In singles, Manika Batra has a favourable draw till the Round of 32, although she maybe needing to beat higher-ranked Prithika Pavade of France to better her Olympic record and make it to the Round of 16. It is then that things may get harder as she is on collision course with World No 13 Miu Harano of Japan.

Sreeja Akula, India's highest-ranked female paddler, could potentially face World No 1 Sun Yingsha in the Round of 16, a very tough hurdle to navigate.

As for the men, Harmeet Desai, who will start from the preliminary round, will face Zaid Abo Yaman of Jordan. A win is likely and will lead to a match against France's Felix Lebrun, the World No 5, in the main draw. Sharath is set to face Deni Kozul of Slovenia in the opening round and if he can navigate that challenge, a potential showdown against Shunsuke Togami, the World No 15, is on the cards.

"On a given day, I think we really have a very good chance of beating any team. We have won against top teams in the world in the past and it is possible this time also if we give our best. In the Olympics, if all three of us can put on the best show then anything is possible," Harmeet put up a brave face.

The paddlers will look to give a good account of themselves and a big win in singles could be on the cards while the women could potentially spring a surprise. However, it is safe to say that the luck of the draw has not favoured Team India.

INDIAN TABLE TENNIS SQUAD FOR PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

• Men's team: Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, and Manav Thakkar; Reserve player: G. Sathiyan
• Men's singles: Sharath Kamal and Harmeet Desai
• Women's team: Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, and Archana Kamath; Reserve player: Ayhika Mukherjee
• Women's singles: Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula

Indian Table Tennis Schedule - Paris Olympics 2024