For the better part of the last fortnight, Manav Thakkar has been fighting two battles.

One was visible under the bright lights of the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, where UP Prometheans endured a miserable debut campaign in Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7. The other was hidden from view — a viral infection that not only ruled India’s top-ranked men’s singles paddler out of two ties but also derailed months of planning for what promises to be the most important phase of his career.

By the time the league stage ended, the Prometheans had finished rooted to the bottom of the table with just 32 points from six ties. Thakkar, meanwhile, had shed over five kilograms and was still searching for full fitness.

Yet, even while calling the season “a total disaster”, the 26-year-old refused to let the disappointment cloud the bigger picture.

“The goal is still there to go out and bring a medal at the Asian Games,” Thakkar told The Hindu. “Hopefully, I will be ready by then.”

The Prometheans’ problems began almost immediately. As captain, Thakkar was expected to shoulder a heavy workload, featuring in singles and mixed doubles. Instead, illness struck after the opening tie.

“It was not a good season for us,” he admitted. “There were things beyond our control. I became sick after the first match. Being the captain, I had to play six sets including singles and mixed doubles, and suddenly I couldn’t play.”

The ripple effect was immediate. “We had to try new mixed doubles combinations. Somebody had to replace me in singles and nobody knew how long it would take for me to recover.”

Even when he returned, he was nowhere near full fitness. “I missed two ties, and when I came back I still wasn’t 100%. Even now, I am only close to being fit.”

His assessment of the campaign was brutally honest. “This season was a total disaster for us.”

The setbacks did not stop with him. In the team’s final outing on Wednesday (July 23, 2026) against Dempo Goa Challengers, foreign recruit Ricardo Walther also fell ill and had to miss his singles match, forcing yet another reshuffle.

For Thakkar, however, the difficult fortnight also exposed the importance of depth. “We need better backups and we need the backups to be ready whenever the team needs them. They actually did a great job, but we failed as a unit. We have to look back, learn and come back stronger next season.”

Results may have deserted the Prometheans, but Thakkar was full of praise for franchise owner Mukesh Sharma, whose first season in UTT coincided with a string of setbacks. “I would like to thank Mukesh Sharma. He was very cooperative and very helpful in managing everything,” Thakkar said. “He kept asking what we needed and what sort of help he could provide. He was open to everything. I was surprised to see him so positive. Even in the last match he was cheerful and energetic on the bench.”

For a first-time owner, Thakkar felt the experience would only prove beneficial. “I hope we carry this forward because when you have owners who are supportive even when the team isn’t doing well, results will eventually follow. It was new for them too and next season they’ll manage even better.”

The illness has forced a significant rethink in Thakkar’s immediate plans. Before UTT, the roadmap had been straightforward — use the league to build match fitness ahead of a packed international calendar culminating in the Asian Games.

Instead, recovery has become the priority. “My plans have changed,” he admitted. “The goal was to push hard here in UTT, become stronger and fitter before the WTT Champions in Japan and Europe Smash.”

Instead, every tournament now has to be approached with caution. “I can’t skip those events because they are important for rankings. But I also need to take things lightly. The plan is to play only once a day at the Commonwealth Championships and focus more on recovery and rehab.”

The decision is dictated as much by his physical condition as by the calendar. “I need to monitor my health. If my weight hasn’t come back and the weakness is still there, then I need to rest instead of pushing through training.”

The Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships, beginning next week in New Delhi, assume greater significance because table tennis is absent from the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

For Thakkar, the tournament fills that void perfectly. “We have the same events that we’ll play at the Asian Games — team, doubles and mixed doubles,” he said. “The level will be slightly lower, but it’s a good opportunity to gain confidence.”

Indian men’s table tennis, he admitted, needs that confidence. “The last year hasn’t been very good. We didn’t do well in the Asian Championships or the World Championships. So this is a good tournament to get back on track before the Asian Games.”

Away from team events, Thakkar and Manush continue to script Indian table tennis history. The pair has climbed to World No. 2, an unprecedented feat for an Indian men’s doubles combination. The ranking, however, has also brought expectation. Interestingly, Thakkar says they have consciously chosen not to dwell on it.

“We are enjoying it. Every tournament we play, we prepare only for the opponents,” he said. “If we lose, we go home. If we win, we are creating history.”

That freedom, he believes, has unlocked their best performances. “We know our opponents are world-class. Individually, we are good players, but what makes us special is that we are from the same state, we have known each other for so long, and we share a great bond.”

That chemistry, forged over years in Gujarat’s table tennis circuit, has become India’s biggest weapon. “The bond shows on the table.”

For now, though, the immediate challenge is considerably simpler. Regain the lost weight. Regain full fitness. Then resume the pursuit of an Asian Games medal that, despite an illness-ravaged fortnight in Goa, remains firmly within sight.

Published - July 23, 2026 09:47 pm IST