The Asian Games 2026 are going to be held from 10 September to 4 October 2026 in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, with 46 countries and over 10 thousand athletes participating. Athletes will compete in 43 sports for 469 medal events.
India, the fifth most successful nation in the history of the Games, is set to compete with 501 athletes in 36 sports, aiming to cross the 100-medal mark this edition too. In the previous edition in Hangzhou, India was able to win a total of 106 medals - its best performance.
As India sets its sights on another record-breaking medal haul, several athletes will be expected to shoulder the country’s hopes.
Here are the Indian players to watch out for at the 2026 Asian Games.
1. Rohit Yadav (Javelin Throw)
Rohit Yadav's career has never followed a linear path, but rather an uneven path of lows and highs, from winning a silver in the 2017 Asian Youth Championships to later being stripped of it for a doping violation and serving a one-year ban.
Rohit came back stronger and participated in multiple international events but couldn't perform at his best, leaving him without any medal at such a stage. However, in the absence of Neeraj Chopra, the burden of leading India's javelin challenge is on his shoulders.
He also achieved his personal best throw of 87.68 metres in a WACT Silver-level meet in Bhubaneswar, second only to Neeraj among Indians, making him a medal prospect.
2. Murali Sreeshankar (Men's Long Jump)
Already a silver medallist at the Asian Games 2022, Murali Sreeshankar will aim to improve his performance and convert it into a gold medal.
Missing the Paris Olympics due to an injury, Sreeshankar has two Commonwealth silver medals to his name to boost his confidence.
In the last edition of the Asian Games' long jump event, China's Wang Jianan won the gold medal with an 8.19-metre jump.
Sreeshankar has registered a jump of 8.38 metres this season; if he can emulate this performance, he would end up with a gold in the Asian Games.
3. Sujeet Kalkal (Wrestling)
Reigning Asian champion Sujeet claimed his first Asian Championships title this year and also rose to World No. 1.
That form now carries the 23-year-old into his Asian Games debut in the men's 65kg freestyle category. He will look to continue his medal-winning run and add another major title to his collection.
2026 has been Sujeet's breakout season. He claimed his first Asian Championships title this year and also became World No. 1. Those results make it the strongest year of his career so far.
4. Preeti Pawar (Boxing)
The 22-year-old boxer, Preeti Pawar, is having an exceptional year. She has already claimed a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Elite Championships, competing in the 54-kg category.
Now she arrives at the Asian Games with the same confidence. In an interview with the Indian Express, Preeti has said that she is eyeing the LA Olympics and wants to win a medal there. The Asian Games can be a testing event for her training before the LA Olympics.
5. Ayush Shetty (Badminton)
Ayush Shetty, the young Indian badminton player, hasn't played a single event since the World Championships, held in Delhi, in August, to have proper rest and training before making his debut in the Asian Games.
Ayush had a great World Championships, beating the defending champion Shi Yuqi in the very first round. However, he couldn't convert his start into something historic and fell before claiming any medal.
Ayush also reached the finals of the Badminton Asia Championship, showing the hunger to perform on the biggest stage of the sport.
6. Antim Panghal (Wrestler)
Antim Panghal, the 22-year-old wrestler, is one of the brightest hopes for an Asian Games medal. Already a two-time World Championship bronze medalist (2023, 2025), Antim would aim to upgrade her Asian Games bronze medal to a gold medal.
She has already won a Grand Prix gold medal this year, giving her the right preparation before the Asian Games. In an interview with Hindustan Times, the 53 kg wrestler admitted that she skipped two instalments of the Ranking Series to be fully fit for the Asian Games.
