Harsh Mehta named India captain for 2026 Pickleball World Cup

The Story in Brief

Harsh Mehta has been appointed captain of India's professional team for the 2026 Pickleball World Cup. The former table tennis player, who represented Mumbai and Maharashtra in U-15, stumbled into pickleball out of curiosity and now leads the national side. Mehta told Pickleball Now that captaincy brings responsibility and he is confident about the team's performance, noting that most of the younger squad have played together on the same circuit and know each other's games.

Mehta recalled that when he started, India had five or six pickleball courts; now there are at least 500 to 600. He expects the sport to keep growing for at least five to six years. The team will face tough competition from the United States and Vietnam. Beyond the World Cup, Mehta wants stronger domestic manufacturing, as Indian pros currently rely on imported paddles. He hopes pickleball becomes an Olympic sport within a decade.