U Mumba TT retains title-winning coaching duo; Chakraborty set for UTT debut in Season 7
Reigning champion U Mumba TT will return with its title-winning coaching combination of Jay Modak and John Murphy, while national team coach Sourav Chakraborty will be among four new faces making their Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) debut, as all seven teams confirmed their coaching line-ups for Season 7, set to be held in Goa in July 2026.
Chakraborty will take charge of Ahmedabad APL Pipers in his first stint in the league, while former Season 1 player Abhishek Yadav returns in a coaching role with UP Prometheans. Dabang Delhi TTC will field an entirely new coaching set-up, with Czech Republic’s Petr David, a three-time Czech men’s doubles champion and two-time mixed doubles champion, joining Indian tactician Srivatsa Chakravarthy.
The franchise-based league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India, will continue to showcase top-tier coaching talent, with a blend of continuity and fresh faces across teams. Matches will be streamed on JioHotstar and broadcast on the Star Sports network.
Commenting on the coaching line-ups, Butterfly UTT co-promoter Vita Dani said: “It’s exciting to see such a strong blend of continuity and fresh perspectives across teams this season.
Coaches are central to how teams prepare, adapt and perform, and this mix of experienced names and new entrants will raise the overall level of competition. We’re looking forward to another closely fought season with high-quality table tennis.”
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At U Mumba TT, the title-winning duo of Modak and Murphy continues, with Modak’s work in nurturing young talent complemented by Murphy’s international experience. UP Prometheans will see Yadav step into a coaching role alongside the returning Chris Pfeiffer, while Ahmedabad APL Pipers welcome back former champion Francisco Santos after a season away, partnering with Chakraborty.
Among the continuing combinations, Dempo Goa Challengers have retained Parag Agarwal and Elena Timina. Sachin Shetty, extending his run of appearing in every UTT season so far, returns alongside Frenchman Julien Girard for PBG Pune Jaguars, while Kolkata Thunderblades continue with the pairing of Jubin Kumar and Tobias Bergman.
The seventh season of India’s premier table tennis league will feature seven teams in a round-robin format, with each team playing the others once. After 21 matches, the top four will advance to the semi-finals.
Coaches for upcoming season
A hmedabad APL Pipers – Sourav Chakraborty (Indian), Francisco Santos (Foreign)
P BG Pune Jaguars – Sachin Shetty (Indian), Julien Girard (Foreign)
D empo Goa Challengers – Parag Agarwal (Indian), Elena Timina (Foreign)
D abang Delhi TTC – Srivatsa Chakravarthy (Indian), Petr David (Foreign)
K olkata Thunderblades – Jubin Kumar (Indian), Tobias Bergman (Foreign)
U Mumba TT – Jay Modak (Indian), John Murphy (Foreign)
U P Prometheans – Abhishek Yadav (Indian), Chris Pfeiffer (Foreign)
Published on Apr 18, 2026