New Delhi

The Indian team, led by Vikramaditya Chaufla for the third consecutive time, will look to defend the title when the Racketlon World Championships begins in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on Thursday.

The six-member Indian squad, announced by the Racketlon India Sports Association (RISA), comprises Chaufla (Captain), Prashant Sen, Monesh Mashruwala, Akshay Gandhi, Raghav Jatia and Nidhi Tiwari.

The team will compete in the Challenge Cup, where India will enter the tournament as the defending champions after winning the title last year.

Racketlon is a unique sport that combines table tennis, badminton, squash and tennis, with the cumulative score across all four disciplines deciding the winner.

"It is an honour to captain India for a third consecutive World Championship. Representing the country is always a matter of immense pride, and we are looking forward to defending our title," Chaufla said in a release.

RISA President KK Cheema congratulated the selected players and wished the team success at the World Championships.

Krishna Kotak, founder of Racketlon in India, said the Indian team’s consistent performances at the international level reflect the steady growth of the sport in the country and wished the squad the very best.

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India has steadily strengthened its presence in international racketlon over the years, and the upcoming World Championships provide another opportunity for the defending champions to build on their recent success and showcase their progress on the global stage.