India have announced their official 12-member men’s and women’s kabaddi squads for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi Nagoya, Japan. Both teams will enter the competition as defending champions and will look to continue India’s strong record in Asian Games kabaddi.
The selection combines experienced international players with several emerging names who have impressed in domestic competitions and the Pro Kabaddi League. The India kabaddi squad for Asian Games 2026 will be under significant pressure to retain both gold medals.
India Men’s Kabaddi Squad
The men’s squad features a strong mix of raiding firepower and defensive experience.
Right Raiders: Pawan Sehrawat, Ashu Malik, Devank Dalal and Arjun Deshwal
Left Raiders: Aslam Inamdar and Ayan Lohchab
Cover Defenders: Sunil Kumar and Jaideep Dahiya
Corner Defenders: Gaurav Khatri, Rahul Sethpal, Sumit Sangwan and Ankit Jaglan
The biggest talking point is the inclusion of young raiders Devank Dalal and Ayan Lohchab. Both players have earned their maiden senior national team call-ups after producing impressive performances in domestic competitions and the Senior Nationals.
Pawan Sehrawat Leads Raiding Unit
The India national kabaddi team will have plenty of experience in its raiding department. Pawan Sehrawat remains one of India’s most recognised kabaddi stars and will be expected to lead the attack.
Ashu Malik and Arjun Deshwal add further quality to the right raiding options, giving India several ways to break down opposition defences. Aslam Inamdar provides another experienced option from the left side.
The addition of Devank and Ayan also gives the squad greater depth and allows India to rotate its raiders depending on the opposition.
Strong Defensive Combination
India have also placed significant emphasis on their defensive unit. Four specialist corner defenders have been selected in Gaurav Khatri, Rahul Sethpal, Sumit Sangwan and Ankit Jaglan.
The four defenders could play an important role against teams that rely heavily on running hand touches and aggressive raiding.
Sunil Kumar and Jaideep Dahiya are expected to form the central cover combination. Their experience and ability to coordinate with the corners could be crucial during high pressure matches.
India Women’s Kabaddi Squad
The women’s team also features 12 players and retains a strong core from the side that won gold at the previous Asian Games.
Squad: Ritu Negi, Pushpa Rana, Sonali Shingate, Sanju Devi, Pooja Kajla, Ritu Sheoran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinki Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavna Thakur, Rajrani and Nikita Kumari.
The women’s squad includes experienced players as well as versatile all-rounders who can contribute in both attack and defence.
India Aim to Defend Asian Games Gold
The Asian Games 2026 kabaddi competition will be another major test for Indian kabaddi. The country has traditionally been one of the strongest forces in the sport at the Asian Games, and expectations will once again be high.
The men’s squad in particular offers impressive depth across both raiding and defence. The presence of established stars alongside emerging players could give India multiple tactical options.
For the India kabaddi squad, the ultimate objective is clear: add to the gold medals won at the previous Asian Games.
With experienced campaigners leading both teams and several promising players entering the international setup, India will begin the tournament among the favourites for the top prize.
