Published: March 23, 2026 at 6:48 pm
Telangana stood out in Group H with two emphatic 3-0 victories, reinforcing their status as strong contenders even as hosts Gujarat rode on a wave of confidence and home support to deliver two commanding performances in the opening two rounds, underlining their intent to be a serious contender for the boys’ Under-15 title.
The boys’ Under-15 team event at the UTT 87th Inter-State Sub-Junior and Cadet National Table Tennis Championships began on a dominant note, with fancied sides across groups asserting early control and ensuring their berths in the pre-quarterfinals at the MP Mittra Indoor Stadium in the Haresh Sangtani Sports Complex in Gandhidham.
With the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage, leading contenders wasted no time in sending out a strong message, cruising through their opening ties with authority. The first two rounds largely followed a predictable script, with several teams registering convincing 3-0 victories, though a few closely contested matches in the second round added intrigue.
Telangana blank Jharkhand and Punjab
Telangana blanked Jharkhand in their first match and then returned to give Punjab the same treatment.
Hosts Gujarat rode on a wave of confidence and home support to deliver two commanding performances in the opening two rounds, underlining their intent to be a serious contender for the title.
Bengal boys hold a clear statistical edge, but Gujarat plot upset run in Under-15 TT meet
Against Chhattisgarh, Gujarat barely put a foot wrong, sealing a comprehensive 3-0 victory. Vivaan Dave set the tone with a controlled straight-games win over Aryan Kumar Singh, edging the first two games 11-9 before pulling away decisively in the third. Dwij Bhalodia then tightened Gujarat’s grip on the tie with an assured performance against Dikshant Kumar Jangde, winning in three comfortable games. The doubles pair of Vivaan and Dev completed the formalities with another straight-games victory, ensuring a flawless start for the hosts.
The second round, however, presented a sterner test as Gujarat faced a strong Maharashtra side. The contest began on a tense note, with Vivaan Dave pushed into a five-game battle by Vanshi Chouhan. After dropping the opening game, Vivaan responded with authority to take the next two, only for his opponent to force a decider. Showing composure under pressure, Vivaan raised his level in the fifth to clinch a crucial win and give Gujarat the early edge.
Dev Bhatt then delivered a composed and clinical performance against Mradul Joshi, winning in straight games to put Gujarat firmly in control of the tie. Carrying that momentum into the doubles, Vivaan and Dev combined effectively once again, outplaying the Maharashtra pair of Mradul Joshi and Atharva Singh in three games to seal a 3-0 result that was far more competitive than the scoreline suggested.
West Bengal lead the charge
West Bengal led the charge in Group A, blanking both Assam and Haryana, while Tamil Nadu was equally commanding in Group B, easing past Odisha and Pondicherry without conceding a match. Maharashtra dominated Group C with identical wins over Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The closest contest came in Group E, where Rajasthan got stretched before edging Goa 3-2 in a gripping encounter after both teams had comfortably won their opening fixtures. Group F also produced competitive ties, with NCOE overcoming a spirited Delhi 3-1, while Jammu and Kashmir outlasted Meghalaya 3-2 in a hard-fought clash.
In Group G, PSPBA maintained control but faced resistance from Karnataka before sealing a 3-1 win.
While early results highlighted the dominance of top teams, the tighter second-round matches suggested that the race for knockout spots could become increasingly competitive as the tournament progresses.
Even as the U-13 and U-11 singles qualifications got underway, the third round of the team event will be played later in the evening.
Results (Team Stage 1): U-15 Youth Boys (rounds 1&2):
Group A: West Bengal beat Assam 3-0, Haryana beat Bihar 3-0; West Bengal beat Haryana 3-0, Assam beat Bihar 3-0.
Group B: Tamil Nadu beat Odisha 3-0, Pondicherry 3-0; Tamil Nadu beat Pondicherry 3-0, Odisha beat Nagaland 3-0.
Group C: Maharashtra beat Andhra Pradesh 3-0, Uttar Pradesh beat Manipur 3-0; Maharashtra beat Uttar Pradesh 3-0, Andhra Pradesh beat Manipur 3-0.
Group D: Gujarat beat Chhattisgarh 3-0, Madhya Pradesh beat Andaman & Nicobar 3-0; Gujarat beat Madhya Pradesh 3-0, Chhattisgarh beat Andaman & Nicobar 3-0.
Group E: Rajasthan beat Himachal Pradesh 3-0, Goa beat Kerala 3-0; Rajasthan beat Goa 3-2, Himachal Pradesh beat Kerala 3-0.
Group F: NCOE beat Jammu and Kashmir 3-0, Delhi beat Meghalaya 3-0; NCOE beat Delhi 3-1, Jammu and Kashmir beat Meghalaya 3-2.
Group G: PSPBA beat Chandigarh 3-0; Karnataka beat Daman & Diu 3-0; PSPBA beat Karnataka 3-1, Chandigarh beat Daman & Diu 3-0.
Group H: Telangana beat Jharkhand 3-0, Punjab beat Uttarakhand 3-0; Telangana beat Punjab 3-0, Uttarakhand beat Jharkhand 3-1.
