India set sail under Belarussian guide

The first time is always the hardest. As India8217;s foreign table tennis coach...

The first time is always the hardest. As India8217;s foreign table tennis coach, Aleksey Yefremov, sets out with the team on their first assignment together 8212; for the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Guangzhou, China 8212; the knot in the stomach and the jangled nerves are only too evident. It8217;s been a little over a month since Yefremov moved bag and baggage to India, and has had only 15 days to assess players at the national camp in Patiala. Still, the Belarusian manages a nervous smile when quizzed about the task at hand. While the Indian men8217;s team finished 35th in the last edition of the teams championship in Bremen, the women managed a top-25 finish.

In Guangzhou, the men and women, both ranked 33rd in the world teams, have been drawn into groups that will require more than a fight to come out on top. While the men8217;s team has competition from Egypt, Argentina and Norway; the women have Estonia, Indonesia and an Australian team 8212; comprising mainly Chinese-origin players 8212; to take on in the championship from February 24 to March 2.

With a successful camp behind him, the 33-year-old coach is concerned, but only just. 8220;At the camp, all 20 participating players gave it their all. I specifically asked for one defensive player R Abhishek so that we get a variety and some practice. The girls practised hard, among the men, Amal Raj, Pathik Mehta and Soumyadeep Roy worked with drive,8221; he said.

Yet, there is much to be desired. Comparing Belarussian players with the Indians, Yefremov said: 8220;In Belarus, the players are professional and have a strong sense of discipline. The Indians aren8217;t far behind, they just need to work more on tactics and physical aspects.8221; The Belarussian women are ranked 16 in the world, while the men stand at 19th. Yefremov has his own 8220;system8221; of training, and has stuck to his methods during his stints as coach in Croatia, Jordan, Guatemala and Spain 8212; and hopes it will spell success for the Indian team.

While the Yefremov experience may work for the camp-happy Indians, the proximity of the Beijing qualifiers to the team championships could work against them with the pre-Olympics 8212; March 6 to 9 in Hong Kong 8212; following.

Top paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal 8212; hopeful of a decent showing at the World Team Championships 8212; is also hoping India pick up two berths in the pre-Olympics. The world No 79 has a 8220;good chance8221; of making it via the Central Zone category, leaving Subhajit Saha and Soumyadeep Roy to fetch a berth via the South Asian quota.

Last year, Mouma Das was unlucky to miss out on such a chance when she finished just outside the top 7 and booked a berth to the Olympics via the South Asian quota. With luck and fine performance this year, the women too are looking to return from Hong Kong with more than just one berth.

But first, it8217;s Yefremov8217;s test.

Pool for world meet

MEN8217;S: Kazakhstan, Egypt, Argentina, Norway, Thailand, India

WOMEN8217;S: Denmark, England, Indonesia, Australia, Estonia, India