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In recent years, Indian table tennis has been a force to be reckoned with, and the world is starting to take notice. Icons like Achanta Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra, and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran continue to push boundaries, while a dynamic new generation—led by talents such as Sreeja Akula, Ankur Bhattacharjee, Manush Shah, and Yashaswini Ghorpade—is already making waves on both the domestic and international stages.
Though the Indian contingent’s dream run at the Paris 2024 Olympics fell just short of medal glory, it marked a historic turning point for the sport in India. The women’s team, in particular, delivered a stunning performance, with both Sreeja and Manika blazing a trail to the pre-quarterfinals—a first in Indian table tennis history. The team’s victory over the 4th-seeded Romanian side and their narrow 3-1 loss to Germany in the quarterfinals further solidified their growing reputation as a rising power.
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In a cricket-obsessed nation, where sports often fade from the public’s radar outside the Olympic spotlight, leagues like the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) are breathing life into India's burgeoning table tennis scene. This homegrown league not only gives players a platform for Indian paddlers to perform alongside top international stars but also aims to transform table tennis into a fan favorite.
In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with Sportskeeda, the charismatic Adam Bobrow, famously known as the “Voice of Table Tennis” shared his thoughts on the pivotal role UTT plays in nurturing the sport in India. A globetrotting commentator, YouTuber and entertainer whose quirky commentary style and trick shots have earned him a cult following, Bobrow dives into the rise of India as a table tennis powerhouse. He also offered insights into how the sport can capture hearts not just in India, but across the globe with his unique blend of passion and humor.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Adam, how important is the Indian market in terms of table tennis growth? It's already very popular in China and Europe, but in India, we're trying to get more eyes on this wonderful sport with the Ultimate Table Tennis League. How important are such leagues in popularizing the sport?
Bobrow: I think leagues are very important. Visibility is crucial. Making it look cool and helping people realize what is possible is key. When you watch players flying around the court—people of all shapes and sizes, muscular, skinny, tall, short, everyone in between—ripping the ball, making it curve, you can really fall in love with it. It’s the kind of thing you enjoy watching, and you think, "Wow, we’re good at this."
It’s also great to see someone who looks like you representing your country, and you can think, “That could be me someday.” That’s important and powerful. As for the Indian market, it's the most populated country in the world right now, so there’s a lot of potential.
India has immense potential in pretty much every aspect. As a sporting nation in table tennis, we’ve already seen growth, but I think we’re just scratching the surface. The market is huge, and I hope that combined with good resources, a league like this, and passion from such a massive population - it has the ability to change the global table tennis landscape.
Q: The women's game, in particular, with players like Manika, Sreeja, and Ayhika, is really starting to get results on the world stage. Is the world starting to take notice of the Indian women's team? Are they causing ripples in the global table tennis scene?
Bobrow: Yeah, big time. It’s tough not to notice and be aware of India, especially with the funky and unique styles of play. Players are using pimples of varying lengths on their rubbers. You've got Ayhika Mukherjee beating the world number one. Manika Batra has beaten multiple Chinese players, including several inside the top 10. Big results are happening everywhere.
Sreeja Akula—we’re eagerly waiting to see her back in action because she’s done wonders. India, as a whole, has done very well, and the women’s team is leading the charge, bringing a lot of positive attention to India as a table tennis nation.
India’s team is strong, and they’re only getting stronger. Yashaswini Ghorpade is improving all the time. There are a lot of promising youngsters coming up. Diya Chitale, for example, is already a few steps ahead of many others and has immense potential.
Q: You do a lot of work on YouTube and have an extremely popular table tennis channel. If you had to pick one or two things to make table tennis more appealing on a global scale, what would they be? What changes does the sport need to make it more popular?
Bobrow: I think humans connect with humans. We need to see the human side of the players to appreciate the spin, right? There’s a gap we need to bridge. Most people have played ping pong or table tennis, but not competitively. They don’t realize the importance of rubbers or the need to be faster and fitter. Table tennis is a spectacular sport to watch and fun to play, but without spin, professional equipment, and crazy shots, it wouldn’t be nearly as exciting.
Entertainment value is important too. When I go to the movies, I need to care about the characters, and when I watch a sport, I need to care about the outcome. You won’t always be watching someone from your own country, so what makes it interesting? You have to care about the person.
That comes from marketing, from players learning to wear their hearts on their sleeves, and from production focusing on developing personalities. There’s a long list of things that could be done.
Humor never hurts either. I think being different is inherently interesting, whether you like it or not. Every sport needs a “bad guy.” Ankur Bhattacharjee is amazing for the sport. I know he’s not making friends everywhere, but look at people like Conor McGregor or Mike Tyson—they weren’t role models for everyone, but they made their sports great to watch. There are many factors, and these are just a few.
Q) Finally, if you had to pick one favorite TT player of all time, who would it be? Ma Long, Timo Boll, or somebody else?
Bobrow: Very simple for me, Jan Ove Waldner.
Note: Adam Bobrow's words have been edited slightly for better readability
