G Venu Madhav backs India to challenge for podium at AVC Championship
The Indian men’s volleyball team will look to build on its AVC Cup 2026 podium finish at the AVC Continental Championship in Fukuoka. Former international G Venu Madhav says India can target a podium finish and potentially secure an LA 2028 berth
Hyderabad: The Indian men’s volleyball team has landed in Fukuoka for the AVC Continental Men’s Volleyball Championship with a podium finish and a possible ticket to the LA 2028 Olympics firmly on its radar, says former international G Venu Madhav from the city.
“That confidence stems from the fact that they had a podium finish at the just-concluded AVC Cup 2026 held in Ahmedabad. The performance of the Dragan Mihailovic-coached Indian team was admirable, considering the fact that Team India’s last international match was exactly one year ago at Farzana in Uzbekistan and the Volleyball Federation of India was in limbo. The IOA-appointed steering committee is running the day-to-day affairs and selecting the Indian teams for participation in international events,” he explained in a chat with ‘Telangana Today’.
“The only things that kept the players fit were the Prime Volleyball League and the UPPVL. Credit to the players who put their heart and soul into the performance at Ahmedabad. There is a third league in the offing, namely the Champions Volleyball League, under the aegis of Mr Kulvant Baliyan, a former volleyball player from UP, and Mr Dhiraj Manjeri,” he said.
“The Indian squad for the AVC Continental Championship at Fukuoka and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games has been bolstered by the return of middle-blocker Ashwal Rai and outside hitter Amit Gulia. India is in Pool B alongside China and Iran. Both teams are at full strength and have recently participated in the VNL 2026. Team China, coached by Belgian Vital Heynen, is led by captain Zhang Chuan, while the Iranian team is coached by Italian Roberto Piazza and led by the mercurial Poriya,” Madhav explained.
“Both are at full strength. In fact, Team Melli are bolstered by the return of opposite Amin. They participated in a four-nation tournament in Ufa featuring Russia, Belarus, Cuba and Iran just last week. The Chinese and the Iranians didn’t participate in the AVC Cup in Ahmedabad as they were participating in the VNL. Only the Kiwis participated and they finished fifth in Pool A,” Madhav recalled.
“The winner of the tournament will get to participate in the LA 2028 Olympics and the top three finishers will get to participate in the biennial 2027 World Championships,” he said.
“After the AVC Cup in Ahmedabad, Team India didn’t play any practice matches and have the crucial Asian Games in Japan from September 19,” Madhav said.
“Whether Team India will punch a ticket to the LA 2028 Games or finish on the podium at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is a matter of conjecture. The last time we won a medal was exactly four decades ago, at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games,” he said.
