Top players for National TT

As per the draw released Saturday, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) and Maharashtra A in the men's and women's category have been given the top billing for the team events that mark the beginning of the six-day affair, which is followed by the individual championships.

Teams have been divided into eight groups with each comprising four or three teams. The teams that have been placed atop of their groups have been the ones that need to be watched as they all got there after putting up a great performance at the Lucknow Nationals last year.

PSPB have the likes of Kamal, Soumyajit Ghosh, Anthony Amal Raj, Sanil Shetty and Soumyadeep Roy while their women's unit is spearheaded by national champion Poulomi Ghatak in the presence of Shamini Kumaresan, Ankita Das, Madhurika Patkar and Pooja Sahasrabudhe.

After the team championships, the interest will be to see if Kamal redeems himself to wrest the men's singles title from Amal Raj, who jumped on to the table to celebrate his victory in Lucknow.

Poulomi Ghatak will certain have to up the ante here if she wants to retain the women's crown.