Thakur among probables

PUNE, JULY 23: City player Bhushan Thakur is expected to be cleared for participation in the men's section of the Dawei 45th World Table ...

PUNE, JULY 23: City player Bhushan Thakur is expected to be cleared for participation in the men8217;s section of the Dawei 45th World Table Tennis Championship which is slated to be held in Eindhoven Netherlands from August 2 to 8.

Four-time National champion Chetan Baboor will lead India8217;s challenge in the individual events of the championship, while S Raman, Arup Basak and Arjun Dutta are the other players who are listed as probables for the men8217;s section. NR Indu and Paulomi Ghatak will be the torch-bearers in the women8217;s section. Former National champion Kamlesh Mehta will accompany the team as coach. The final team list is expected to be announced next week.

S Sridhar Mumbai and Arun Bannerjee Lucknow will be the two international umpires representing India at the world event.

Bhushan Thakur is currently attending a preparatory camp at Patiala alongwith the other Indian probables and the selected players will assemble in Delhi next week before leaving for the Netherlands.

Over 400 players from about 100 countries are expected to participate in the championships.

Following the cancellation of the tournament in Belgrade Yugoslavia last year because of the deteriorating situation in Kosovo, India and China had bid for the world event. Netherlands finally got the nod three months ago. The same venues that were used for the successful European Championships last year will be used in Eindhoven: the Indoor Sports Centrum and the Ice Rink. During the first three days of the championship, matches will be played at both venues, with 20 tables in the Indoor Sports Centrum and a further 12 in the Ice Rink. From the fifth day onwards only four tables will be used at the Indoor Sports Centrum, adopting the Centre Court8217; principle.

For the first time, the individual and team events are being held separately. The team events will be staged in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia from February 19 to 26 next year. This is the first time that the World Championships are being held in Malaysia. Sweden and France had also bid for the event. The 44th World Championships were held in Manchester Europe in 1997 and in 2001 will be staged in Osaka Asia. Therefore, the sharing of the World Championships in 1999 and 2000 between Eindhoven Europe and Kuala Lumpur Asia creates a perfect balance between the two continents.