Asia No. 1 Zoravar Singh Sandhu Left Out Of India’s Asian Games 2026 Squad: Here’s Why

Asia's No. 1 and world No. 6 trap shooter Zoravar Singh Sandhu has been left out of the proposed Indian shotgun contingent for this year's Asian Games despite the fact that the veteran shooter is one of top trap shooter in the country and clinched a bronze medal at the prestigious World Championships last year.

Zoravar endured a dip in form during the National Championships and domestic selection trials -- events he was required to compete in despite being on a relentless international schedule in preparation for the World Championships and World Cup Finals.

Those underwhelming scores in the national trials ultimately cost him a place in the Asian Games-bound squad, even though he was ranked world No. 4 barely a month ago.

Zoravar has urged the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) to "review" its decision, pointing out that he has registered the best international scores among Indian trap shooters over the last six months.

The federation, however, has maintained that it will "strictly go by the selection policy put in place one or one-and-a-half years ago".

The proposed men's trap team -- which NRAI secretary-general Pawankumar Singh said is "99 per cent" likely to remain unchanged -- features Kynan Chenai, Ahvar Rizvi and Shapath Bhardwaj for the continental showpiece to be held in Aichi–Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.

Zoravar, 47, became only the third Indian trap shooter to win a medal at the World Championships when he clinched bronze in Athens in October last year. He also made the medal round at the World Cup Finals before eventually finishing seventh.

More recently, competing as a 'zero' shooter at the ISSF World Cup in Almaty this month, Zoravar still returned the best score by an Indian in the competition with a tally of 119.

‘Zero' shooters are essentially fillers whose scores are recorded for selection purposes, with the NRAI making it mandatory for the country's top-10 athletes to have at least two international scores for national team selection.

However, a 'zero' shooter is not eligible to compete for medals and can participate only for scoring purposes.

"The federation should reconsider this (selection) but whatever decision they take I have to accept. Being Asian No.1 and currently world No.6, the federation should consider this (achievement)," Zoravar told PTI.

"I shot at the World Cup in Kazakhstan (this month) as a 'zero' shooter and I shot the maximum in the Indian contingent," he added.

NRAI secretary-general Pawankumar Singh said: "It's 99 per cent final that this is the shotgun team that will go to the Asian Games."

Asked whether leaving out the highest-ranked Indian trap shooter and Asia’s top marksman compromised the country’s medal prospects, he said, "The selection policy was declared more than a year ago and if we start changing names in the squad after seeing the faces of players, then there will be no difference left between shooting and the rest of the sports."

"I doubt Zoravar will be included. Even when I say the team is 99 per cent final, this is the squad that is likely to go to the Asian Games," he added.