Pawan Sehrawat Eyes Gold as India Prepare for Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi Challenge

India's star men's kabaddi raider Pawan Sehrawat believes representing the country at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is both a matter of immense pride and a huge responsibility.

As the Indian team prepares for the continental showpiece, Sehrawat and his teammates have set their sights firmly on securing the gold medal.

Speaking about the honour of wearing the India jersey, the Arjuna Awardee said the responsibility extends beyond the 12 players selected for the squad, as they carry the hopes of the entire nation. Sehrawat stressed that representing India motivates him to give his absolute best on the biggest stage.

"I feel very proud to be one of the 12 guys chosen from such a large pool of population to represent the country...When I wear the jersey of India, I feel that I have a responsibility, as we are carrying the weight of the whole country out there and it should go in the right direction as we get the extreme best for India," he said.

Kabaddi has traditionally been one of India's strongest disciplines at the Asian Games. Across the men's and women's competitions, India has won 11 gold medals, along with one silver and one bronze. The Indian men's team has been preparing for the upcoming challenge at the SAI Sports Training Centre in Gandhinagar, where the training camp was held from September 5 to 15.

Sehrawat, who holds the Pro Kabaddi League record for the most raid points in a single match with 39, believes India's gold-medal expectations should not be viewed as pressure. Instead, he feels the tag motivates the players to perform at their best.

"The team is very confident. We have practiced a lot together. All the 12 players who have been selected make a great combination. We trust each other. The most important thing is that we are here for one thing, and that is gold. Gold makes us all one, and this is what a team should be," said Sehrawat.

The kabaddi competition at the Asian Games 2026 will begin on September 21, with the final scheduled for September 26.

Indian Kabaddi Team for Asian Games 2026

Sunil Kumar (captain), Pawan Sehrawat, Ankit Jaglan, Aslam Inamdar, Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Gaurav Khatri, Sumit Sangwan.