From Neeraj Chopra to PV Sindhu, India’s 492-Strong Asian Games Squad Takes Shape

India’s preparations for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya have entered a crucial phase after the Sports Ministry approved a 492-athlete contingent across 35 sports for the September 19-October 4 Games. The squad comprises 265 men and 227 women, although the list could still expand, with reports suggesting another 25-30 athletes may be added.

Athletics forms the backbone of the contingent with 73 athletes, including Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, Murali Sreeshankar, Gulveer Singh, Tejaswin Shankar and Jyothi Yarraji. The size of the athletics team reflects both the breadth of events and India’s strong medal prospects in the discipline.

The squad also carries considerable star power elsewhere. PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty headline badminton, while India’s boxing contingent includes Lovlina Borgohain, Narender Berwal and Jadumani Singh.

Cricket adds another major attraction, with both the men’s and women’s T20 teams approved, accounting for 30 athletes. The men’s squad includes Sanju Samson, Varun Chakravarthy and teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, while Harmanpreet Kaur leads the women’s team. The inclusion of cricket provides India with two additional opportunities to fight for gold.

Yet the approved list has also triggered questions over selection. The most striking controversy concerns tennis, where India’s top-ranked women’s singles players Sahaja Yamalapalli, Vaishnavi Adkar and Vaidehee Chaudhari were omitted after the Ministry reduced the federation’s proposed 12-member squad to seven. Sahaja, ranked 344th in the world, said she was “shocked” and disappointed by the decision.

The exclusions extend beyond tennis. Swapna Barman, India’s 2018 Asian Games heptathlon champion, will not be part of the squad after being provisionally suspended by NADA following a positive test for a banned substance. Weightlifting has also faced disruption amid doping-related cases.

The Ministry has said Asian rankings and performances were considered while finalising selections. The debate over omissions underlines the difficult balance between medal probability, competitive depth and giving emerging athletes a chance.

India enters Aichi-Nagoya seeking to build on its record 107-medal haul at Hangzhou 2022. The stars can set the tone, but the final outcome will depend on how effectively the wider contingent converts opportunities into medals.