Bhubaneswar – India's men's table tennis team was defeated 3-0 by Hong Kong in the quarter-finals of the Asian Table Tennis Team Championships on Sunday, held in Bhubaneswar. This loss prevents the Indian team from securing a podium finish at this year's continental event.

The Indian team, featuring a relatively new and youthful lineup, couldn't capitalize on their home advantage. In contrast, both Indian teams had received direct entries into the quarter-finals as 2024 bronze medalists. However, this year’s men's squad was significantly different, missing key players like Sharath Kamal (retired), G. Sathiyan (became a father earlier in the week), and Harmeet Desai.

Manush Shah, ranked 72nd globally, started the proceedings against world No. 48 Wong Chun Ting but lost in straight games (11-5, 11-9, 13-11). Next, Jeet Thakkar, world No. 39, faced the 59th-ranked Chan Baldwin. After rallying from a 2-0 deficit, Thakkar ultimately lost a close five-game match (8-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 8-11).

With India trailing 2-0, coach Massimo Costantini introduced teenager Ankur Bhattacharjee for the third match. Bhattacharjee, ranked 118th, showed promise against the 130th-ranked Lam Siu Hang but eventually succumbed to a 11-7, 9-11, 14-12, 6-11, 7-11 defeat.

This defeat marks a departure from the Indian men's team's recent success at the Asian Team Championships, where they had secured bronze medals in the previous three editions. In 2024, the Indian men's team won the bronze medal after being defeated by Chinese Taipei. India had advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Kazakhstan 3-1 in the quarter-finals. The Indian women's team will play their quarter-final match on Monday.