Sunil Kumar Eyes Another Asian Games Gold as India Enter Aichi-Nagoya Kabaddi Campaign

India’s men’s kabaddi team will enter the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya with a familiar objective: defend the gold medal and continue the country’s long-standing dominance in the continental competition.

Leading that challenge will be captain Sunil Kumar, who was part of India’s gold-medal-winning team at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022. The 27-year-old right defender has now been entrusted with guiding a squad that combines experienced campaigners, Pro Kabaddi League leaders and emerging talent.

For Sunil, however, India’s biggest strength heading into the tournament is not simply the individual quality within the squad. It is the extensive preparation that has gone into building the team.

The Indian team’s preparation for the Asian Games began well in advance, with the Sports Authority of India and the kabaddi federation conducting camps several months before the competition. The squad trained at multiple SAI facilities, beginning in Bengaluru before moving to Bellary and subsequently Gandhinagar.

“The preparation has been very good because our federation and SAI started our camp six to eight months ago. We have planned the team combination and strategy well,” Sunil told SAI Media. “We first practised at SAI Bengaluru, then went to Bellary for training, and now our camp is at SAI Gandhinagar.”

The extended preparation has allowed the coaching staff and players to work on combinations and tactical plans while giving individual players time to refine their respective skills. Rather than entering the Asian Games still figuring out roles, India have used the lengthy camp to establish a clearer structure across their raiding and defensive departments.

Sunil will have several familiar faces alongside him in Japan. Four members of the 2026 squad were part of India's previous Asian Games gold-medal-winning campaign Sunil Kumar, Arjun Deshwal, Aslam Inamdar and Pawan Sehrawat.

Their experience of competing at the previous Asian Games provides the team with players who understand the pressure and expectations associated with representing India at a major continental event. The squad also features established PKL names such as Ashu Malik, Jaideep Dahiya, Devank Dalal and Rahul Sethpal, along with younger players including Ayan Lohchab.

Leadership experience is another notable feature of the group. Eight of the 12 players are current captains or vice-captains of their respective PKL teams for Season 12, giving India a squad with considerable experience of handling responsibility.

Sunil wants to preserve India’s kabaddi legacy

India’s record in Asian Games kabaddi provides the backdrop to the team’s campaign. The Indian men won gold at Hangzhou 2022, with Sunil part of that victorious side. The current captain now wants the team to build on the legacy created by previous generations. 

“Our senior players gave the team a different identity and brought so many gold medals for India. We want to maintain that legacy, add another gold medal to India's tally and follow the path that our legends have created,” Sunil said.

That expectation places considerable responsibility on the current generation, but the captain believes the squad has the balance required to handle the challenge. India have focused on both ends of the mat during their preparation, working on raiding, defence, fitness, tactical combinations and individual development.

While kabaddi features individual battles between raiders and defenders, Sunil stressed that India's success will ultimately depend on the entire squad functioning together.

“You cannot win just by one person’s effort. This time, our raiding and defence departments are both quite strong,” he said. The captain also highlighted the depth available across the squad, with India possessing established players in both departments. “We have done all the preparation. We have worked on our strategy, team combination, fitness and individual skills. Now we have to execute all of that properly when the competition comes.”

For Sunil, execution will be the decisive factor once the tournament begins.

“The effort of one player will not be enough. Everyone has to contribute. Our raiders, defenders and all-rounders have to work together as one team.”

As a right defender, Sunil will have a central role in organizing India’s defensive unit. Communication and coordination become particularly important during high-pressure phases, when small mistakes can quickly change the momentum of a kabaddi match. His familiarity with several of India's leading raiders also gives him an understanding of how the team functions across departments.

The combination of experience and leadership could therefore be important as India navigates the competition in Aichi-Nagoya. “We want to maintain the identity that our seniors created for Indian kabaddi, work together as a team and give everything when we give it all at the Asian Games,” Sunil said.

India begins the campaign on September 21.

The kabaddi competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will be held at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium in Tokai City, Aichi Prefecture. The Indian men’s campaign will begin on September 21, with the tournament culminating in the men’s and women’s finals on September 26.

For India, the target is clear. The defending champions will look to combine the experience of their returning gold medallists with the energy of the new generation. For Sunil Kumar, it is another opportunity to lead India on the Asian Games stage this time as captain.

Months of preparation have laid the foundation. The combinations have been tested, tactical plans have been developed, and individual skills have been sharpened.

Now comes the most important part: executing that preparation on the mat and attempting to keep India at the top of Asian Games kabaddi.