Indian Table Tennis Duo Achieves Historic World Ranking

Indian table tennis stars Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah have made history by reaching World No. 2 in the ITTF men's doubles rankings. This marks the highest-ever ranking for Indian players in senior world rankings as they prepare for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

In an unprecedented achievement for Indian sports, table tennis players Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah have climbed to World No. 2 in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) men's doubles rankings, marking the highest-ever position reached by Indian players or pairs in senior world rankings. The duo surpassed their previous best of World No. 3, previously held by Archana Kamath and Manika Batra in women's doubles, who ranked No. 4 in 2022.

The dynamic duo trails only behind China's top-ranked Lin Shidong and Huang Youzheng, who lead with 5,160 points compared to the Indians' 3,390. Last week's second-ranked team from France, the Lebrun brothers, Alexis and Felix, have fallen to fifth place, facilitating Thakkar and Shah's ascent. This move up the rankings is a testament to their consistent performances under the tutelage of Indian table tennis legend Sharath Kamal, particularly on the World Table Tennis (WTT) circuit.

Their impressive track record includes a semi-final spot at the 2026 Singapore Smash, a runner-up finish at the 2025 WTT Star Contender Foz do Iguacu, and a victorious campaign at the 2026 WTT Contender Lagos. With the Asian Games in Japan just a few months away, this rise in ranking comes at a pivotal time for Indian table tennis. Thakkar and Shah are set to lead India's men's doubles squad, having previously reached the quarter-finals at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.