Payas defeated Manav in the final of the National Ranking tournament.
| Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Three weeks ago, he fell two points short of lifting the trophy at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship (CTTC) in his hometown New Delhi.
But on Sunday here, Payas Jain didn’t let history repeat itself. For the 21-year-old, the time since the CTTC has not been about chasing results. It has been about sticking to a process. That process bore fruit in emphatic fashion as Payas outplayed reigning National champion Manav Thakkar to win the season-opening National ranking tournament at The Sportz Hub.
“Nothing has changed,” Payas told The Hindu. “Before the Commonwealth Championship, I was trying to follow the process. Even after the Commonwealth Championship, I was just trying to follow the process. The Asian Games is coming up, my main goal is to win a medal for India there.”
What changed, however, was the manner in which Payas went about his business. Against one of the strongest defensive players in Indian men’s table tennis, he refused to be hurried. He stayed in the rallies, waited for the opportunity to turn, and passed Manav with the precision that had also been evident in his service receiving.
Everything, he insisted, was intentional. “Whether it was my body language, shot-making, strategy or tactics. The fact that everything was intentional reflected on the table. I know how Manav plays. He knows how I play. So, I was prepared for everything,” Payas said. “It was a great match. I actually played well and I was feeling very confident.”
That confidence grew as the final progressed. Payas sensed the rhythm after the opening game and, rather than attempting to force the issue, trusted his ability to remain in the exchanges until the opening appeared.
“I knew that Manav was not going to miss so soon and that it was going to be a tough fight,” he said. “I was just ready to be on the table irrespective of whether he was playing with speed or power. Whenever I was getting the chance, I was able to turn and pass.”
A member of India’s Asian Games squad, he put together a strong domestic season and finished second in the National rankings. He is closing in on a place in the world’s top 100. Payas is still awaiting inclusion in the Sports Authority of India’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme list of promising athletes. The Asian Games medal, though, remains the bigger target. Sunday’s crown was simply another step towards it.
Published – August 24, 2026 06:34 pm IST
