Ahmedabad, June 1, 2025: Led by three-time Olympian Kanak Jha and Indian ace Sreeja Akula, Jaipur Patriots will be aiming to bounce back from their opening day defeat quickly when they face Stanley’s Chennai Lions in the IndianOil Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 6 on Tuesday, 5 PM, with the tie live on Star Sports Khel and JioHotstar.

Staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, IndianOil UTT continues to grow as a premier professional league. All 23 ties, over 16 action-packed days, will take place at Ahmedabad’s EKA Arena, with tickets available only on BookMyShow.

A heavy opening defeat would have done little to dent the spirit of Jaipur Patriots, who will be eyeing a quick turnaround with plenty of matches still to play. There were bright spots on Day 1 the team can build on, with Sreeja, Jha, and Britt Eerland all delivering moments of real quality.

Sreeja pulled off a stunning comeback win against Maria Xiao, rallying from 0-7 in the opening game. Jha secured a valuable point in his narrow 2-1 loss to Izaac Quek, while Eerland showed her class by overturning a 2-7 deficit to take Game 3 against Diya Chitale. While questions remain around Jaipur’s scratch mixed doubles pairings, their deep squad, featuring Jeet Chandra, Pritha Vartikar, and Yashansh Malik, offers plenty of options to refine combinations going forward.

In the other corner, blending international pedigree with Indian depth, Chennai Lions look like a serious threat in the IndianOil UTT Season 6. World No. 36 Fan Siqi becomes only the third Chinese player to feature in the league, bringing elite precision and justifying her top billing at the auction. Captain Kirill Gerassimenko, ranked 55, returns for his third stint, adding leadership and stability.

All eyes, however, will be on Payas Jain—the former Youth World No. 1 and Asian Junior gold medalist—whose explosive talent could be a game-changer this season. The experienced trio of Sudhanshu Grover, Poymantee Baisya, and debutant Nikhat Banu round out a well-balanced squad.

Key match-ups could shape the outcome of the tie. Fan is likely to be tested by either Sreeja or Eerland, while a high-voltage captain’s clash between Gerassimenko and Jha is on the cards. Jeet, who blanked both Sharath Kamal and Snehit Suravajjula last season, will be one to watch in his potential face-off with the gifted Payas.

Squads

Jaipur Patriots: Britt Eerland (Netherlands), Kanak Jha (USA), Sreeja Akula, Jeet Chandra, Pritha Vartikar, Yashansh Malik

Stanley’s Chennai Lions: Fan Siqi (China), Kirill Gerassimenko (Kazakhstan), Payas Jain, Sudhanshu Grover, Poymantee Baisya, Nikhat Banu