In the 2023 Asian Games, Bengal’s table tennis duo of Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee won the bronze medal for India in Hangzhou. It was a first.

This time, however, they will not be able to defend their medal, as Ayhika failed to make the squad announced on Thursday. The 2026 Asian Games will be played in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan, from September 19 to October 4.

Ayhika’s doubles partner, Sutirtha, however, has made the squad.

As per the selection criteria laid down by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) — drafted in 2023 — 50 per cent weightage is given to national rankings, 40 per cent to world rankings and 10 per cent is left to the discretion of the selection committee.

Ayhika, whose world ranking went below 100 in 2025, has had a string of good performances and climbed up to 78. She missed out on the Asiad-bound squad because she had to skip some national-level tournaments due to illness.

“I think the entire selection process needs overhauling. International rankings should get more credence. You prepare for events like the Olympic Games and the Asian Games by participating in international tournaments where top Chinese and European paddlers play. Can you get the same level of exposure by playing in a domestic tournament?” Ayhika asked on Friday.

The case of Ankur Bhattacharjee, another Bengal paddler, is more intriguing. Bhattacharjee’s world ranking is 84, while Payas Jain and Harmeet Desai are 103 and 87, respectively. Sources said Bhattacharjee lost to Jain in the five-member men’s squad since Jain had beaten him the last time they played.

World No. 51 Manika Batra, who also missed the bus, raised concerns regarding “the consistency of application of selection norms”.