Now Reading: 14-year-old Kaveer Mehta to debut for India at 2026 Pickleball World Cup
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14-year-old Kaveer Mehta to debut for India at 2026 Pickleball World Cup
Kaveer Mehta, a 14-year-old multi-sport athlete from Mumbai, has been selected for India's U14 squad for the 2026 Pickleball World Cup in Vietnam. The youngster, who also plays badminton and volleyball, trains…
Kaveer Mehta, a 14-year-old multi-sport athlete from Mumbai, has been selected for India's U14 squad for the 2026 Pickleball World Cup in Vietnam. The youngster, who also plays badminton and volleyball, trains three hours per day plus an hour of fitness work while maintaining top-five class rankings.
Kaveer was introduced to pickleball by his family when he wanted to try a new sport. He earned his spot after competitive trials, calling his selection a surprise: "I was really shocked and really happy because there were a lot of good players who were competing."
He will make his international debut at the World Cup later this year. Kaveer said he is excited to wear the Indian jersey but nervous about playing at such a big event. His immediate goal is improving consistency and reducing unforced errors on the court.
Indian Opinion Analysis
India's debut at the 2026 Pickleball World Cup follows the sport's explosive domestic growth, tournaments have multiplied from a handful five years ago to over 200 annually, with prize purses touching Rs 1 crore in senior events. Kaveer, at 14, represents a generation that has grown up with the game, which the International Federation of Pickleball now recognises as a pathway to Asian Games inclusion. The U14 squad's selection process was conducted by the Pickleball Association of India, which received over 1,200 applications for just 12 spots. The World Cup, scheduled for late 2026 in Hanoi, will pit India against 30 nations. Kaveer's academic ultimatum, top-five or "cooked", mirrors a familiar middle-class parental compromise: sport is allowed as long as grades do not slip.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
