The state table tennis selection trials for cadet, sub-junior, junior, youth (boys and girls) and senior (men and women) categories will be held at JSCA International Cricket Stadium in Ranchi from December 25 to 27.

Keeping Covid protocols in mind, the Jharkhand State Table Tennis Association (JSTTA) is conducting the trials in singles category only.

Plastics (including water bottles) are banned and players have been asked to show their ID cards issued by JSTTA to security personnel before entering the stadium, said state association general secretary Jai Kumar Sinha.

“No events could be organised this year due to the pandemic. The selection trials will give an opportunity to paddlers to get back to action,” said East Singhbhum District Table Tennis Association secretary U.K. Chatterjee.

According to him, the Table Tennis Federation of India has scheduled the nationals at Sonepat and Indore in January.

Twenty boys and girls from East Singhbhum will be attending the trials in the capital. They include Anurabh Saha, Soumil Mahato, Ashmit Chouhan, Karan Raj, Mrinmaya Pradhan, PL Teja, Sai Akshay Suman, Sudhanshu Ranja, Vaibhav Sharma and Dinesh Rakshit.

Archita Dey, Aadya Chouhan, Swastika Shukla, Samriddhi Shraddha, Anushka, Janvi Prasad, Khushi Kumari, Saniya Banerjee, Chandni Kumari and Shruti Mahananda are among the girls who will try their luck in Ranchi.

Chatterjee said he was hopeful about the prospects of their paddlers getting slots in state outfits for different age categories. “We have promising players some of whom have the experience of competing in national competitions. We are sending talented boys and girls for the trials. We have adequate infrastructure at JRD Tata Sports Complex which provides a platform for paddlers to hone their skills under experienced coaches,” he added.