From cricket to success, Arnav paddles his way into top 10

Bengaluru - At just 10, Arnav Mithun is already making a mark in Indian table tennis, having risen to No. 8 in the national rankings for his age group. Interestingly, the youngster did not begin with the sport – cricket was his first love. The shift came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when outdoor play was restricted. Spending time in his native place, Arnav began following his elder sister, a table tennis player, and picked up the paddle.

“During the Covid period, I used to play cricket and dance. Then, while I was in my native place, my sister, who played table tennis, introduced me to the sport. I trained briefly under a coach there, who encouraged me to take it seriously. Later in Bengaluru, another coach advised me to join a proper academy. That’s how I joined Skies Academy under Anshuman Roy sir,” Arnav said. His progress has been swift. His mother, Swetha, said the family is pleased not just with his success but with his attitude.

“The journey is not easy, but he is putting in his best effort and working hard. We are happy that he enjoys the process – that matters most,” she said.  Arnav’s achievements include finishing runner-up at the National Ranking Tournament in Vadodara (U-11, 2025), winning the Karnataka State U-11 title in 2025, reaching the U-15 State Championship semi-finals the same year include finishing runner up at the and securing six State Ranking titles in the U-11 category, along with a title in U-13. Competing against the country’s best, Arnav identifies top-ranked Raghuveer Biswas as his toughest opponent. “He is No. 1 and left-handed, which gives him certain advantages,” he said.

Despite his age, Arnav has developed notable strengths, particularly his deceptive serves and backhand topspin. “My serves are difficult to read because I vary the spin,” he explained. A keen cricket fan, he admires K.L. Rahul, Virat Kohli, Sanju Samson, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni, while in table tennis he looks up to Harmeet Desai and Ma Long. He hopes to emulate them one day. For now, Arnav plans to enjoy his holidays before returning to the grind of state tournaments, balancing sport with school.