Slow start for India-based paddlers

India is one of the leading nations in the world in the development of ping-pong, both at the national team level and in domestic competitions. The India-based entourage is expected to reap rich from the Indian table tennis setting as the BTTA looks to form a formidable national team for the future.

However, a year later since the first player landed in the South Asian state, there has not been much progress for the group on the table. The players are yet to go professional as they are still playing as semi-professionals. No player has been recruited by an elite club in India and most are signed to academies. Jack is in the books of Stag Academy alongside 19-year-old Kaone Moroke. Wame Jawe, 20, is with Priyanka Table Tennis Academy while Tshireletso Samuel, 23, is attached to the Ahmedabad Sports Academy. The other player in India is 23-year-old Esther Mpotsang. Only five from the group are actively involved in the game. There have been struggles for others to find clubs with Oratile Kedisaletse nearing her first half-year in India but remaining clubless. Arthur Kgaswe and Thembilihle Montshiwa are said to be settling in India after arriving in August.