India Name Senior Men’s and Women’s Squads for Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2026

India’s senior men's and women's rugby sevens teams are set for a major test against Asia’s best as Round 1 of the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2026 gets underway in Suzhou, China, on August 29 and 30.

The tournament represents an important step in the development of both Indian programmes, with the two-round Series providing elite competition and valuable high-performance exposure ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

Round 1 will be held in Suzhou before the series moves to Colombo, Sri Lanka, for the final round on October 17 and 18, where the 2026 champions will be crowned.

For the Indian men, the upcoming competition marks a historic step up after earning promotion from the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy in 2025. The women, meanwhile, return for their second consecutive season at this level after making significant progress during their 2025 campaign.

With 24 of Asia’s leading men’s and women’s national teams competing across the Series, Suzhou will offer India a clear measure of where both programmes stand as they build towards one of the biggest sporting events on the continent.

Indian men ready for the biggest Asian challenge

The senior men's team enter the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series following a successful 2025 campaign that saw them secure promotion from the Trophy competition.

That promotion has opened a new chapter for Indian men’s rugby. The step up means facing stronger opposition and competing against established Sevens programmes on the continent. India has been drawn in Pool A alongside Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, presenting a demanding opening challenge.

Japan will provide a particularly significant benchmark, while the UAE and Singapore will also test India’s ability to compete consistently at the highest Asian level. Senior Men’s Head Coach Paul Albaladejo believes the challenge is exactly what the programme needs. “CASA 7s was a strong start to the season, but the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series is a different level,” Albaladejo said.

“Making our debut at the highest level in Asia is a big challenge, and that is exactly what we want. We know we’ll be tested, but we’re ready to step up, compete hard and embrace the opportunity.”

The men's team will be led by Mohit Khatri, with Sumit Kumar Roy serving as vice-captain. For a side entering this level after promotion, the objective will not simply be about results. The series will also provide India with an opportunity to understand the demands of elite international Sevens, test combinations and develop the consistency required to compete with Asia’s leading nations.

Indian women look to build on 2025 progress

The senior women's team arrive in Suzhou with a year of experience at this level behind them. In their debut campaign in the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series last year, India made notable progress, climbing from 10th to sixth overall. That improvement provided evidence of the growing competitiveness of the programme and created a platform for the team to aim even higher in 2026.

South African Paul Delport continues as head coach for a second season and will look to build on the lessons learned from last year. India has been drawn in Pool D alongside defending champions Japan, United Arab Emirates and Iran. It is a challenging group, particularly with Japan entering as defending champions. However, the tournament gives India another opportunity to measure themselves against established Asian Sevens teams while continuing preparations for the Asian Games.

Delport said the objective is to improve while remaining realistic about the level of competition. “We’ll be aiming to improve on last year’s ranking while recognising that the teams competing for those positions are world-class,” Delport said. 

“We know the challenge ahead, and we’re ready to give our best and continue building on the progress we made last year.” Shikha Yadav will captain the Indian women's team, with Dumuni Marndi named vice-captain. The continuity in leadership and coaching will be important as India seeks to convert last year’s progress into stronger performances against the continent’s top teams.

Asian Games preparation adds greater significance.

While the immediate focus will be on Suzhou, the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series carries additional importance because of the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. The series provides both teams with high-quality competitive exposure at a time when international match opportunities are vital for developing Sevens programmes.

Rugby Sevens is a fast-moving and demanding format where game awareness, fitness, defensive organisation and decision-making are constantly tested. Competing against the strongest teams in Asia will help India identify areas of progress and improvement before the Asian Games.

Rugby India President Rahul Bose described the series as a crucial platform for both programmes.

“The Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series is the most important platform for both our teams to rise to be amongst the top few countries in Asia,” Bose said. “The Women have built a strong foundation from last year, while the Men’s promotion has opened a new chapter for the programme. We look forward to seeing both teams compete with confidence and pride in Suzhou.”

https://www.indiasportshub.com/articles/india-rugby-sevens-drawn-with-china-hong-kong-and-malaysia-at-asian-games-2026-after-winless-hangzhou-campaign

The Indian squads will depart for Suzhou on August 26 and return on August 31 following the completion of Round 1. Attention will then turn towards Round 2 in Colombo in October.

With the two rounds forming part of the wider road towards the Asian Games, every match in Suzhou will carry importance. For the men, it is the beginning of life at Asia’s highest Sevens level. For the women, it is an opportunity to prove that last year’s sixth-place finish was only the start.

India now have two teams ready to test themselves against the continent’s best.

India Senior Men’s Squad

Mohit Khatri (Captain), Sumit Kumar Roy (Vice-Captain), Ajay, Aryan Satish Dixit, Asis Sabar, Deepak Kumar Punia, Deshraj Singh, Ganesh Dhangada Majhi, Hitesh Dagar, Javed Hussein, Karan Rajbhar, Shivam Shukla and Shridhar Shrikant Nigade.

India Senior Women’s Squad

Shikha Yadav (Captain), Dumuni Marndi (Vice-Captain), Amandeep Kaur, Arti Kumari, Bhumika Shukla, Chanel Crizzle, Guriya Kumari, Kalyani Patil, Mama Naik, Nirmalya Rout, Sandhya Rai, Sandhyarani Tudu and Ujjwala Ghuge.