Top 3 Indian Raiders at the 2026 Asian Games

India successfully defended its men’s kabaddi title at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, defeating Iran 40-34 in the final to secure a record-extending ninth gold medal. The team remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, with its raiding unit playing a decisive role in every victory.

Leading the way were Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, and Ayan Lohchab, who finished as India’s three highest-scoring raiders.

India’s Leading Raiders at the 2026 Asian Games

Player	Raid Points	Tackle Points	Total Points
Devank Dalal	59	1	60
Arjun Deshwal	35	0	35
Ayan Lohchab	35	0	35

1. Devank Dalal dominated on his Asian Games debut

Devank Dalal enjoyed an outstanding first Asian Games, finishing as India’s leading raider with 59 raid points and 60 total points, including one tackle point.

The youngster consistently delivered multi-point raids throughout the competition and established himself as India’s primary attacking threat. His performances helped India secure comfortable victories in the group stage before contributing heavily to the knockout rounds.

Dalal entered the tournament after an impressive Pro Kabaddi League Season 12, where he finished second in the raid points standings with 271 points, and successfully carried that form onto the international stage.

2. Arjun Deshwal delivered when India needed him most

Arjun Deshwal finished with 35 raid points, sharing second place among India’s raiders.

One of only four players retained from India’s Hangzhou 2022 gold medal-winning squad, Deshwal brought valuable experience to the side. His biggest contribution came in the final against Iran, helping India recover after trailing 18-17 at halftime before completing a 40-34 victory.

Following another strong PKL season with 209 raid points, Deshwal added a second consecutive Asian Games gold medal to his achievements.

3. Ayan Lohchab impressed in his first major tournament

Ayan Lohchab matched Deshwal with 35 raid points during his Asian Games debut.

After topping the Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 raid charts with 316 points, expectations were high, and Lohchab responded with another consistent campaign. Working alongside Devank Dalal, he gave India a balanced and unpredictable raiding combination that opponents struggled to contain.

His performance confirmed his status as one of India’s brightest young kabaddi stars.

India’s unbeaten road to gold

India completed a flawless campaign, recording victories over:

Chinese Taipei – 37-21
Japan – 49-24
Bangladesh – 48-25
Republic of Korea – 63-31
Thailand (Semi-final) – 66-28
Iran (Final) – 40-34

The men’s triumph, combined with India’s women’s title, completed a kabaddi double for the country at the 2026 Asian Games.

Defence provided the perfect platform

While the raiders grabbed the headlines, India’s defence also made a major contribution.

Jaideep Dahiya – 17 tackle points
Rahul Sethpal – 16
Sumit Sangwan – 15
Ankit Jaglan – 9
Sunil Kumar – 5 tackle points and 1 raid point
Gaurav Khatri – 4

Captain Sunil Kumar, leading a squad featuring eight Asian Games debutants, guided India through the tournament without a defeat.

Why these performances mattered

India’s attack stood out because of its balance rather than reliance on one player. Although Devank Dalal topped the scoring charts with 59 raid points, Arjun Deshwal and Ayan Lohchab each contributed 35 points, while Ashu Malik (31) and Aslam Inamdar (21) added further depth.

The tournament also highlighted the growing influence of the Pro Kabaddi League as India’s primary pathway to the national team, with several young stars successfully making the transition to international competition.