Indian soft tennis players Aadhya Tiwari and Jay Meena were eliminated from the Asian Games mixed doubles event in the round of 16 after a 2-5 loss to the Philippines pair. They had qualified for the knockout stage by finishing second in their group with two wins.
India's large contingent of 501 athletes is set to compete at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, aiming to showcase the nation's growing sporting depth and its ambition to become a global top-10 sporting power by 2036. Despite initial accommodation challenges, the focus is on building on the momentum from the record 2022 Hangzhou Games, with strong medal hopes in shooting, athletics, cricket, badminton, and hockey.
Indian table tennis mixed doubles pair Diya Chitale and Manush Shah secured a coveted Asian Games medal, overcoming a recent slump in form and the personal tragedy of Diya's coach Peter Engel's death. Their triumph is seen as a fitting tribute to Engel and fuels India's hopes for an Olympic medal in the future.
We have to perform in both batting and bowling, Axar Patel says ahead of India's Asian Games 2026 cricket final against Pakistan on Saturday.
Indian track and field athlete Seema won a landmark bronze medal for the country in women's 10,000m final at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Thursday.
Indian long jumper M Sreeshankar secured a silver medal at the Asian Games despite an injury during his fourth attempt. He expressed confidence that this fourth career silver would lead to a major gold, specifically targeting the 2028 Olympics. Sreeshankar highlighted the challenging weather conditions and the close competition, acknowledging luck played a role in his medal win.
If India's medal tally ultimately falls significantly short of Hangzhou, the conversation should not stop with the athletes or coaches. It should extend to a much more uncomfortable institutional question: After years of increased investment, programmes, infrastructure and policy attention, where exactly is the system failing to convert that investment into medals, champions and depth across sports? asks Jaydeep Ray.
The Fencing Association of India (FAI) has announced significant cash awards for its medallists at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, aiming to motivate fencers to achieve glory for the nation. Gold medallists will receive Rs 10 lakh, silver medallists Rs 7.5 lakh, and bronze medallists Rs 5 lakh.
Indian women's boxing head coach Santiago Nieva is confident the team can secure an elusive gold medal at the upcoming Asian Games, building on their strong performance at the Commonwealth Games. Despite facing tough competition from powerhouses like China and Kazakhstan, Nieva believes the current squad is the best the country has seen and is capable of overcoming challenges, including previous struggles against Chinese opponents, by focusing on controlling bouts.
India's shooting campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games commenced with a strong performance, securing two silver medals in the women's 10m air rifle event. Experienced shooter Elavenil Valarivan was instrumental, winning an individual silver and contributing to a team silver alongside Sonam Uttam Maskar and debutant Vidarsa Vinod. While Elavenil narrowly missed individual gold, her performance, coupled with the team's success, provided an encouraging start for India.
Four Indian players in the ICC ODI top 10 highlight India's remarkable depth, giving the team a strong pool of match-winners ahead of major ODI assignments.
Indian shooter Vidarsa Vinod, making her Asian Games debut at 27, secured a silver medal in the women's 10m air rifle team event. Despite missing an individual final, Vinod maintained a calm demeanour, treating the continental stage like any other competition. Her journey from an NCC cadet to an international medallist highlights her rapid progression and adaptability, especially as she only recently started training in the 10m air rifle discipline.
The Indian men's kabaddi team commenced its Asian Games title defence with a decisive 49-24 victory over hosts Japan in their opening Group A fixture.
Indian rowers Satnam Singh and Salman Khan secured a historic bronze medal in the men's double sculls at the Asian Games, marking India's first-ever medal in this event. Despite the achievement, both athletes expressed mixed feelings due to last-minute crew changes that they believe affected their performance. The bronze was a saving grace for the Indian team, which otherwise delivered one of its worst Asian Games rowing performances, equalling previous low tallies. The controversy surrounding team selections and the impact of weather disruptions on the competition schedule were also highlighted.
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games, becoming the most successful Indian in the sport at the event. Her achievement came despite suffering a knee injury during the quarterfinal, which was further targeted by her semifinal opponent. Balhara, who trains with boys at her uncle's academy due to the lack of a national federation, expressed disappointment over the injury preventing a higher finish.
The Indian women's table tennis team secured a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Singapore in the Asian Games Group F match, with Sreeja Akula and Yashaswini Ghorpade delivering crucial wins. In contrast, the Indian men's team suffered a 0-3 defeat to Iran in their Group F encounter.
Indian athletes Baranica Elangovan, Gulveer Singh, and Manpreet Kaur secured historic medals at the Asian Games. Elangovan clinched India's first-ever pole vault medal with a bronze, while Singh became the first Indian to win two 10,000m medals, earning a silver. Kaur redeemed herself with a shot put bronze, contributing to India's growing athletics medal tally.
A comprehensive overview of the Indian contingent's schedule at the Asian Games on September 28, detailing participation across various sports including archery, athletics, cricket, boxing, hockey, and more, with specific event timings in IST.
Indian athletes are set for a packed day of competition at the Asian Games, participating in various sports including athletics, boxing, canoe sprint, hockey, kabaddi, rowing, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, and wushu. Several medal events are scheduled in rowing and shooting, with key matches in team sports like hockey and kabaddi.
A 20-member Indian fencing squad, led by Olympian C A Bhavani Devi, has departed for Japan to participate in the Asian Games.
Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as the captain of the Indian women's cricket team across all formats, stating she is now 'ready to play for the love of the game again.' Tributes have poured in from former and current players, including Yuvraj Singh and Shafali Verma, acknowledging her significant contributions to Indian cricket.
The Indian women's badminton team was eliminated from the Asian Games after a 1-3 loss to Japan in the quarterfinals. While the doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured a win, singles players PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, and Tanvi Sharma were defeated by their Japanese counterparts, leading to India's exit from the tournament.
India's highly anticipated women's 10m air pistol team, featuring Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Suruchi Inder Singh, failed to secure a medal at the Asian Games, with only Bhaker reaching the individual final and finishing fifth. Despite this setback, India managed to win two bronze medals in the men's and women's skeet events, bringing the total shooting tally to seven. The performance has raised questions about India's shooting selection policies and preparation, especially given the contrast with previous Games. Manu Bhaker also spoke about personal challenges, including the recent death of her coach.
India's women's football team, the Blue Tigresses, will play two international friendlies against 27th-ranked Russia in Kolkata. These matches serve as a crucial test for India's young squad, with an average age of 23, as they prepare for next year's AFC Women's Asian Cup. Head coach Crispin Chettri views this as an opportunity for emerging players to prove themselves against a stronger opponent.
Indian discus thrower Seema Kaliramna discusses the emotional challenges of balancing motherhood with her sporting career, as she prepares for the Asian Games after winning bronze at the Commonwealth Games.
India's Asian Games campaign saw its medal tally rise to 17 with strong performances in athletics, wushu, kabaddi, and hockey, despite some disappointments in shooting, boxing, and gymnastics. The mixed 4x400m relay team secured silver, while Seema won bronze in 10,000m. Wushu player Roshibina Devi claimed silver, and rowers added a bronze. Kabaddi and men's hockey teams continued their unbeaten runs, advancing to later stages.
India's athletics campaign at the Asian Games saw Sawan Barwal secure an unexpected silver in the marathon with a national record, while Tajinderpal Singh Toor also claimed silver in shot put. Prachi Chaudhary added a bronze in quarter-mile, bringing India's athletics medal tally to eight. The day also saw injuries to medal contenders Jyothi Yarraji and Praveen Chithravel.
Indian shooters Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil secured individual silver and bronze medals respectively in the men's 10m air rifle event at the Asian Games. India also won a team silver, contributing to the nation's growing medal tally in the continental competition.
Indian Teqball players Declan Marshall Gonsalves and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg were eliminated from the men's doubles competition at the Asian Games after losing both their group matches.
Double Olympic medalist shooter Manu Bhaker concluded her Asian Games campaign without a medal, leading her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, to heavily criticise the event's organisation, citing issues like travel distance, bus timings, and unsanitary conditions at the shooting range in Aichi-Nagoya.
Suchika Tariyal secured India's first-ever medal in mixed martial arts at the Asian Games, winning a bronze in the women's traditional 60kg event.
Mirabai Chanu secured a silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting category at the Asian Games in Nagoya, ending her 12-year pursuit for this elusive honour. This marks India's first Asian Games weightlifting medal since 1998. Chanu expressed immense relief and joy, calling it a dream fulfilled and her life complete. She also discussed her future plans regarding the 2028 Olympics' 53kg category.
Jay Meena's historic run ended with a bronze, but he leaves Nagoya having achieved something no Indian soft tennis player had managed before.
Indian shooter Kynan Chenai secured a trap mixed team gold at the Asian Games, attributing his success to a 30-year-old gun barrel borrowed from his father, Darius. This vintage barrel, which helped his father win national championships, proved to be Kynan's lucky charm, and he has no plans of returning it. The article also details his performance alongside Neeru Dhanda and his father's continued mentorship.
Indian hockey drag-flicker Deepika has made headlines at the Asian Games with a record-breaking 20 goals across three matches, including nine in a single game. The 23-year-old attributes her success not just to her wrestling family's athletic genes but to years of dedicated training and the guidance of coaches Azad Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, and Taeke Taekema. Despite a career-threatening injury last year, Deepika has made a strong comeback, focusing on skill, consistency, and discipline, with an eye on Olympic qualification.
India's six-member League of Legends team, featuring a blend of experienced and new players, is set to compete at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. They are placed in a challenging Group B alongside defending champions South Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong, with the tournament running from September 29 to October 2.
Prachiti Nagpurkar, a former chartered accountant, has made history as the first Indian to referee a mixed martial arts (MMA) bout at the Asian Games in Nagoya. She left her lucrative profession to pursue her passion for MMA, where she also owns a gym and trains fighters. Nagpurkar advocates for women in male-dominated sports, expressing pride in her role as a female official in the cage.
The Indian men's badminton team blanked Bangladesh 3-0 to enter the quarter-finals of the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on Monday.
Indian Teqball player Quimcy Dsouza lost her Asian Games women's singles semifinal to Indonesia's Sumaya in a gruelling three-game match. Despite a strong start, Dsouza, a former state-level footballer, was overcome by Sumaya's sepak takraw background. Dsouza will now compete in the bronze medal playoff, aiming for a podium finish in Teqball's debut at the Asian Games.
India secured its first shooting gold medal at the Asian Games with Kamaljeet and Suruchi Inder Singh winning the 10m air pistol mixed team event. The victory came after a last-minute decision to replace Kedarling Uchaganve with Kamaljeet due to Kedarling's dip in form. This unexpected pairing set a Games and Asian record, ending India's six-day wait for a top-podium finish in shooting and alleviating pressure on the contingent.
