Gujarat always back their players, feels Krittwika Sinha Roy as she gears up for State Championship

Gandhidham, Aug.24 : As Krittwika Sinha Roy gears up for a new chapter in her life, the talented paddler is also turning a new leaf in her professional career as India no. 7 switched her allegiance from the formidable Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) to Gujarat for the new season.
Krittwika, who is all set to tie the knot with Gujarat’s top table tennis player Harmeet Desai in December, feels the switch is natural for her.
“After getting engaged (earlier this year), I thought of shifting to Gujarat. I play for PSPB and obviously it is not an easy decision. But we (both she and Harmeet) had talked about it. With the wedding in December and the Nationals happening around February, we thought to shift to Surat (the district which she will represent at the Gujarat State and Inter-District Championship),” the 27-year-old told GSTTA.in.
The decision could be welcoming news for the women’s table tennis in the state as Krittwika not only adds star power to the team but also a lot of experience which could benefit the girls from the state.
But are the girls welcoming? That brought a smile on Krittwika’s face, “I know quite a few players from the state and I can vouch that they are very supportive. Moreover, I understand that the state association (GSTTA) and the state government are very supportive of sports as results show. There are quite a few men players who are at the top of the ranking while the women’s team has quite a few talented players who have the potential to excel at the highest level.”
While moving to a new arena can always be challenging, the Commonwealth Championship 2019 women’s doubles gold medallist feels that her biggest challenge is overcoming her loss.
“After my mother expired, I did not play for a year. I think overcoming the loss is crucial for me,” said the paddler who had won the women’s singles title at the 13th South Asian Games in 2019. “I don’t think much about the challenges or the competition as when I play I focus on my game. For me what is important is how I play,” she added.
Given her stature, Krittwika will carry a burden of expectations but she said that it will not bog her down.
“I understand that there would be expectations. But I am focused on my goals. I have set my targets and I try to play according to the plan and not get disturbed by anything else,” she added.