Asian Games 2023: Kabaddi legends back strong Indian teams to clinch gold

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The kabaddi action in the ongoing Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou begins on Monday (October 2) and with that, the Indian men's and women's kabaddi teams will begin their campaign. The Indian men's and women's kabaddi teams will be in action between October 2 and 7.

The Indian women's team will take on Chinese Taipei on October 2 in their opening encounter while the men's team will be up against Bangladesh in their tournament opener on October 3.

India - who are the kabaddi powerhouse - failed to bag gold medals in both men's and women's categories in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, to their and fans' disappointment. Fast forward to 2023, both teams have arrived in China with an aim to set the records straight this time around and stamp their authority in the traditional touch sport.

Best Indian Men's Kabaddi Team: Ram Mehar

Two-time Asian Games Gold Medallist Ram Mehar Singh, while speaking about the makeup of the Indian men's kabaddi team at the Asian Games said, "The Indian men's team is a very strong side. It's the best team that could've been selected, and I am confident that we will win the Gold medal."

Ram Mehar, who is the current coach of the Pro Kabaddi League Team Gujarat Giants, credited the growth of kabaddi in the country to the home-grown domestic kabaddi tournament in India, Pro Kabaddi League (PKL).

"Kabaddi has received a big boost through the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). Earlier, when I was India captain, Kabaddi wasn't such a popular sport, and now we are second only to cricket. Through PKL, kabaddi has grown not just in India, but all over the world," Ram Mehar added further.

Indian Women's Kabaddi Team Has Pedigree

Mamtha Poojari, a two-time Asian Games Gold medallist, while looking at the women's kabaddi team's strength claimed the Indian women have the pedigree to stand on top of the podium.

"Iran has been a dominant force in Kabaddi in recent years, but I am hopeful and confident that both the Indian teams will do better than the previous edition, and come back with the Gold," she said.

Poojari, an Arjuna Awardee, also noted that the Asian Games is a massive platform for the players, "This is a great platform for the players to make their mark with a big performance. A great result will provide impetus to the athletes' careers."

She further added, "What also happens is when a player does well and wins a medal at this big a stage, there is an added responsibility for them in the future, and that results in further improvements for the athlete as well. There's no bigger stage than the Asian Games for our athletes."

Indian Kabaddi Group and Schedule in Asian Games

At the Guali Cultural & Sports Centre, Xiaoshan District, the Indian men's team will be among 9 teams (Group A - India, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Japan; Group B - Iran, South Korea, Pakistan, Malaysia) battling it out for top honours.

The Indian women's kabaddi team will be one of 7 participating teams (Group A - India, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, South Korea; Group B - Iran, Bangladesh, Nepal) in the kabaddi competition.

History of Kabaddi in Asian Games

Kabaddi made its debut at the Asian Games during the 1990 edition in Beijing, China, and the sport has been a part of each edition since then. The Indian men's team has bagged 7 Gold medals and came back with Bronze in 2018.

The Indian women's kabaddi team, who made their first appearance on the mat at the Asian Games in 2010, have won 2 Gold medals and finished with Silver in Jakarta (2018).

Indian kabaddi teams for Asian Games

Men's: Nitesh Kumar, Parvesh Bhainswal, Sachin, Surjeet Singh, Vishal Bhardwaj, Arjun Deshwal, Aslam Inamdar, Naveen Kumar, Pawan Sehrawat, Sunil Kumar, Nitin Rawal, Akash Shinde.

Women's: Akshima, Jyoti, Pooja, Pooja, Priyanka, Pushpa, Sakshi Kumari, Ritu Negi, Nidhi Sharma, Sushma Sharma, Snehal Pradeep Shinde, Sonali Vishnu Shingat.