Watch: Tokyo Olympics-bound Indian paddler Manika Batra practices with Belarusian partner Kiryl Barabanov

The Tokyo Olympics will see a four-member Indian table tennis contingent competing in five different events for the first time in history. While Achanta Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan will fight it out in men’s singles, Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee will lead the Indian charge in the women’s events. Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra will team up for the mixed team event.

With state-wise lockdowns in place in India due to COVID-19 along with foreign travel restrictions, Indian paddlers have been deprived of top-level training ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Instead, the athletes have been forced to train in their respective states with limited resources.

Batra, who will be appearing in her second Olympics in Tokyo, is gearing up ahead of the big-ticket event, which starts July 23. In a video posted on her Instagram account, the Delhi-born girl is seen practicing with her Belarusian sparring partner Kiryl Barabanov. Batra is seen focussing on the ball and playing a 28-shot rally against Barabanov.

Manika Batra has improved her forehand ahead of the Tokyo Olympics

After coming back from Doha following her Tokyo Olympics qualification at the Asian Qualifiers, Batra is back in business without wasting much of her time. She has resumed training with coach Sanmay Paranjape in Pune.

Batra's association with Sanmay has been for a couple of years and the union has yielded results. Compared to what she was before, Batra has now become more lethal on her forehand and has improved a lot on her fitness too. In addition, working with Barabanov will also sharpen her skills ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

Last month, the 25-year-old was in Chennai for a week as well to train with Sharath Kamal for the mixed team event. The discipline is India's best bet for a Tokyo Olympics medal and the duo are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations.