India continued its strong performance at the Asian Games, securing gold medals in both men's and women's Kabaddi, a historic silver in marathon by Sawan Barwal, and advancing to squash finals. The day also saw mixed results in shooting, athletics, and badminton, contributing to India's growing medal tally.
India's top badminton players, including the men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, singles stars Lakshya Sen, P V Sindhu, and rising talent Ayush Shetty, are set to compete at the USD 950,000 Japan Open Super 750 tournament. The event marks a crucial stage for many Indian shuttlers to make significant runs on the BWF World Tour.
India won six athletics medals at the Asian Games on Monday, including a javelin silver-bronze double, as Esha Singh and Murali Sreeshankar added more silver.
India overcame early setbacks in shooting and athletics to achieve a strong fourth-place finish at the Asian Games, matching its previous edition's ranking. A late surge in boxing, archery, wrestling, and hockey, alongside historic wins in golf and cricket, contributed significantly to the medal tally, despite a lower overall medal count compared to the 2022 edition.
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.
India achieved a respectable fourth-place finish in the Asian Games medals tally, securing 85 medals including 21 gold, driven by a significant late surge in boxing, archery, wrestling, and hockey, despite initial setbacks in shooting and athletics.
India is set to field a strong contingent at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with key athletes like PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, and Lovlina Borgohain leading the charge to defend titles in cricket, kabaddi, and men's hockey.
This article provides a comprehensive schedule of Indian athletes participating in various events at the Asian Games on September 20.
Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty caused a major upset on the opening day of the BWF World Championships by defeating world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu also comfortably advanced to the second round in women's singles, while other Indian doubles pairs, Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand and Hariharan Amsakarunan-MR Arjun, secured their spots in the next round.
Jay Meena dreamed of becoming a cricketer, but fate had other plans.
President Droupadi Murmu congratulated Indian athletes Parul Chaudhary, Gulveer Singh, Vithya Ramraj, and Esha Singh for their medal-winning performances on Day 9 of the Asian Games. Parul Chaudhary secured her second medal with a bronze in the women's 5,000m, while Gulveer Singh earned a silver in the men's 1,500m, adding to his previous silver. Vithya Ramraj won bronze in the women's 400m hurdles with a personal best and national record, and Esha Singh claimed silver in the women's 25m pistol event.
Indian squash prodigy Anahat Singh, 18, achieved a career-defining victory by defeating world number 6 Satomi Watanabe of Japan in a thrilling five-game semi-final at the Asian Games.
Shreyas Iyer has surged to a career-best seventh position in the ICC Men's T20I Batting Rankings after smashing his maiden T20I century in the opening match of the home series against the West Indies in Lucknow on Tuesday.
The Indian men's badminton team secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games after losing 1-3 to China in the semifinals. Despite strong performances, including a win by Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, India could not overcome their rivals, marking their first back-to-back team medals in 40 years.
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.
India experienced a day of mixed fortunes at the Asian Games, highlighted by Mirabai Chanu's historic silver medal in weightlifting, ending a long wait for an Asiad medal. The nation also secured several bronze medals in skeet shooting, men's badminton, and soft tennis. While Chanu shone, the shooting contingent faced challenges, and other sports like wushu, table tennis, squash, women's hockey, and kabaddi saw Indian athletes advance or dominate their events.
India's men's and women's table tennis teams both secured gold medals at the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships. The men's team, led by Manush Shah's heroic performance, overcame Malaysia 3-2 in a thrilling final, while the women's team comfortably defeated Malaysia 3-0.
India's men's cricket team is set to begin its Asian Games campaign against Afghanistan, but heavy rain is forecast, potentially leading to a washout. If the match is abandoned, India would advance to the semifinals due to higher seeding. The team, led by Shreyas Iyer, features a strong contingent of international players aiming for a gold medal, following the women's team's recent victory.
Indian men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have advanced to the China Masters final for the third time, overcoming Malaysian opponents Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong in a three-game thriller. The world No. 5 duo, who are playing their second tournament after a break, are now one step away from securing their second title of the season and will face China's He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in the summit clash.
Indian squash players Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh have received high seedings for the upcoming Asian Games, positioning them as strong contenders for gold medals. Their performance is crucial as singles winners will secure direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, significantly raising the stakes for the Indian contingent.
Erling Haaland's double against Denmark took his Norway tally to 64 goals in 56 games, surpassing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo while sealing Norway's first competitive win over Denmark.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is set to chase an unprecedented sixth medal at the BWF World Championships, which are returning to India after 17 years, beginning in New Delhi on Monday. Sindhu, already a five-time World Championships medallist, is high on confidence after winning the Japan Open Super 750 last month.
Jude Bellingham has lauded Harry Kane as England's 'greatest-ever player' after the captain marked his record-equalling 125th appearance with two goals and an assist in a 3-0 Nations League victory over the Czech Republic.
Fourth seed Harmeet Desai and second seed Yashaswini Ghorpade faced unexpected defeats at the second National Ranking Table Tennis Championships in Panchkula on Monday. Unseeded Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula, both former top-ranked players, also exited the tournament in the Round of 32, while top seeds like Syndrela Das and Diya Chitale advanced.
Indian archers returned from the Asian Games with a historic haul of 5 gold medals, 2 Olympic quotas, and other medals, celebrating their success and triumphs over global powerhouse South Korea. Coaches and athletes expressed elation, crediting rigorous training, teamwork, and a supportive ecosystem for their unprecedented performance.
India's men's and women's table tennis teams have both secured their spots in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games after achieving dominant 3-0 victories over their Pakistani counterparts.
India's men's and women's skeet shooting teams have both secured bronze medals at the Asian Games in Nagoya. While the teams celebrated podium finishes, individual shooters Raiza Dhillon, Parinaaz Dhaliwal, and Anantjeet Singh Naruka, despite reaching the finals, narrowly missed out on individual medals. This marks India's first-ever Asian Games medal in the women's team skeet event.
India's chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand believes the sport's upcoming shift to a 15x3 scoring system will lead to some players being 'wiped off' due to the increased premium on speed, power, and mental strength.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the men's doubles quarterfinals at the World Championships, securing a potential third medal. However, India faced a setback with the elimination of two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Ayush Shetty in their respective singles matches. The women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also reached the quarterfinals.
India's national soft tennis federation is pushing for the sport's inclusion in the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, following a historic Asian Games medal. Special Advisor Harshang Khodadhara highlighted India's strong global ranking and its position as the leading Commonwealth nation in soft tennis, expressing confidence in winning gold medals if included.
Jay Meena has won India's first-ever soft tennis medal at the Asian Games, securing a bronze after a hard-fought semifinal loss to Japan's Takuya Kurosaka. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian soft tennis.
Top Indian shuttlers have received a mixed draw for the BWF World Championships in New Delhi, with PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen getting relatively favourable starts, while Asian Championships silver medallist Ayush Shetty faces a formidable opening round against defending champion Shi Yu Qi of China.
Nitesh Siwach has secured India's first silver medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Asian Games since 1962, despite missing out on gold in the men's 97kg final against Japan's Yuri Nakazato.
India's six-member golf contingent, led by silver medallist Aditi Ashok, is set to compete at the Asian Games. The team, comprising experienced professionals like Yuvraj Sandhu, Veer Ahlawat, and Diksha Dagar, aims to add to India's seven past golf medals. They face a strong international field, including PGA Tour stars like Tom Kim and Keita Nakajima, on a challenging course.
At the border, places that you had just seen on a map, suddenly acquire a life. Looking at the vast expanse of quiet land, you realise an emotional connect, a sense of belonging binds you to a piece of land which is not merely territory, but a part of who you are.
Indian squash players, including Abhay Singh, Velavan Senthilkumar, Joshna Chinappa, and Rathika Seelan, delivered strong performances at the 3rd Asian Doubles Squash Championships in Sarawak, Malaysia, securing top spots in their respective pools. While some pairs advanced, another Indian men's pair was eliminated.
India's women's kabaddi team secured their record-extending fourth Asian Games gold medal by defeating Iran 37-34 in a thrilling final.
Indian hockey stars Hardik Singh and Manpreet Singh shared their thoughts on the recent Asian Games gold medal win, which also secured their qualification for the LA 2028 Olympics. They discussed their dietary plans, coach Craig Fulton's positive influence, and the team's belief in their attacking prowess.
Star Indian men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinched the China Masters Super 750 title after a thrilling three-game comeback victory against China's He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu. This marks their second title of the season and provides a significant boost ahead of the Asian Games.
Veteran Indian squash players Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar have secured their spot in the mixed doubles quarter-finals at the Asian Games.
