- India’s top paddlers join elite international field in Goa, with Manika Batra returning to lead Ahmedabad APL Pipers
AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT | 07th JULY 2026 | Gujarat’s growing stature in Indian table tennis will be firmly in the spotlight when Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 Powered by ChatGPT gets underway in Goa, with the state represented by two of India’s biggest stars in Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah, alongside a strengthened Ahmedabad APL Pipers outfit led by Manika Batra.
Thakkar and Shah, currently among India’s leading players and partners in the world’s fourth-ranked men’s doubles pairing, enter the season carrying strong international credentials. Thakkar, India’s highest-ranked men’s singles player, will spearhead UP Prometheans’ campaign, while Shah returns to Butterfly UTT with reigning champions U Mumba TT after a season away, adding further intrigue to a stacked field.
For Gujarat fans, however, the focus will also fall on Ahmedabad APL Pipers, who have assembled an experienced and balanced unit around Indian table tennis icon Manika Batra. Returning after missing last season through injury, Manika brings proven pedigree and star appeal to the franchise as one of the defining figures of Indian table tennis over the past decade.
Speaking on the occasion, Thakkar said: “It’s always special to return home and play in front of people who have followed my journey from a young age. Gujarat has produced some excellent table tennis players over the years, and I hope seeing Indian players compete in a league like Butterfly UTT encourages more youngsters to take up the sport. The league has played a big role in raising the standard of table tennis in the country, and it’s exciting to be part of that growth.”
Alongside her, Ahmedabad have continued to invest in emerging Indian talent through Payas Jain, whose value rose by 140 percent during the Butterfly UTT Season 7 player auction, underlining the growing expectations around one of the country’s most promising young paddlers. The squad is further strengthened by Austrian Olympian Sofia Polcanova and Belgium’s Adrien Rassenfosse, with experienced Indian camp aigner Sanil Shetty and youngster Kavya Bhatt completing the lineup.
Ahmedabad APL Pipers will once again enter the season with an experienced coaching setup, with former winner Francisco Santos and Indian tactician Sourav Chakraborty scheming from the sidelines, as they look to build momentum and challenge for their maiden Butterfly UTT title against a field featuring some of the strongest Indian and international names in the sport.
Butterfly UTT Season 7 will take place at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa from July 9 to 26. Ahmedabad APL Pipers begin their campaign on July 11 in a marquee western derby against reigning champions U Mumba TT.
Season 7 will feature Ahmedabad APL Pipers, Dabang Delhi TTC, Dempo Goa Challengers, HVR Kolkata ThunderBlades, PBG Pune Jaguars, U Mumba TT, and UP Prometheans competing in a single round-robin format, with the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals. The league will be broadcast live on the JioHotstar & Star Sports Network.
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