Star raiders Ayan Lohchab and Devank Dalal, along with all-rounder Pawan Sehrawat will front India’s 12-member men’s kabaddi team for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Asian Games medallists Ritu Negi and Pushpa Rana will captain and deputise the Indian women’s team, respectively. Pooja Kajla, who was recently honoured with the Arjuna Award, is also part of the 12-member squad.
The 20th edition of the Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4, with the kabaddi competitions scheduled from September 21 to 26 at the Nagoya City Trade and Industry Center.
The Indian men’s kabaddi team boasts considerable firepower, with Ayan Lohchab and Devank Dalal, the top two raiders from the last Pro Kabaddi League season, leading the attack.
Arjun Deshwal, third on the all-time Pro Kabaddi list for raid points with 1383, and Ashu Malik add further depth to the raiding unit.
In defence, Sunil Kumar, third on the PKL all-time list for tackle points with 442, will spearhead the unit alongside Sumit Sangwan, who sits eighth with 372 tackle points.
Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar, both Asian Games gold medallists, are the two all-rounders in the squad.
Naveen Kumar is one of the notable omissions from India’s men’s squad for Aichi-Nagoya.
Only four members of India’s gold-winning men’s team from Hangzhou 2023 – Arjun Deshwal, Sunil Kumar, Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar – return to defend the Asian Games title.
India head into the Asian Games as defending champions, having defeated the Islamic Republic of Iran 33-29 in the Hangzhou 2023 final.
They are also the most successful nation in kabaddi at the Asian Games, having won eight gold medals in the men’s event.
The Indian women also head into the Asian Games as defending champions and have won three gold medals at the continental showpiece.
Indian kabaddi squad for Asian Games 2026
Indian men’s kabaddi team: Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, Sunil Kumar, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Gaurav Khatri, Sumit Sangwan, Ankit Jaglan, Pawan Sehrawat, Aslam Inamdar
Indian women’s kabaddi team: Ritu Negi, Pushpa Rana, Sonali Shingate, Sanju Devi, Pooja Kajla, Ritu Sheoran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinki Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavna Thakur, Rajrani, Nikita Kumari
read more: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/asian-games-2026-india-kabaddi-team-squad-player-list
