Pawan Sehrawat says India eye gold at 2026 Asian Games

Pawan Sehrawat says representing India at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is a matter of immense pride and responsibility. The star raider believes the team’s expectation of winning gold will serve as motivation as India prepares for the kabaddi competition

Hyderabad: As the Indian kabaddi team gears up to represent the country at the upcoming 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, star men’s team raider and Arjuna Awardee Pawan Sehrawat believes the opportunity to wear the India jersey comes with a deep sense of pride and responsibility, with the team firmly setting its sights on the gold medal.

Reflecting on what it means to represent India at a multi-sport event of the scale of the Asian Games, Sehrawat said, “I feel very proud to be one of the 12 guys chosen from such a large pool of population to represent the country… When I wear the jersey of India, I feel that I have a responsibility, as we are carrying the weight of the whole country out there and it should go in the right direction as we get the extreme best for India.”

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Kabaddi has traditionally carried immense expectations at the Asian Games, with the Indian men’s and women’s teams having won a total of 11 gold, one silver and one bronze medal. In pursuit of another gold, the 12-member squad has been preparing at a training camp at the SAI Sports Training Centre, Gandhinagar, from September 5 to 15.

Sehrawat, who holds the record for scoring 39 raid points in a Pro Kabaddi League match — the most by any player in the league — feels that the expectation of gold serves as motivation rather than pressure for the team.

“You expect something from someone who deserves it, and you expect gold from kabaddi. So it’s a proud moment for the kabaddi team. We are seen as a team that will bring a gold medal and it is a matter of pride. That expectation gets converted into motivation and makes it easier to play,” he added.

With the team having spent considerable time together through camps and preparations, Sehrawat is confident about the coordination within the squad. The 12-member unit, he believes, has developed the trust and understanding necessary to compete at the highest level.

“The team is very confident. We have practised a lot together. All the 12 players who have been selected make a great combination. We trust each other. The most important thing is that we are here for one thing, and that is gold. Gold makes us all one, and this is what a team should be,” said Sehrawat.

The kabaddi competition at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will begin on September 21, 2026, with the final scheduled for September 26, 2026.

The team: Sunil Kumar (captain), Pawan Sehrawat, Ankit Jaglan, Aslam Inamdar, Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Gaurav Khatri and Sumit Sangwan.