Shikha Yadav to Lead India’s 13-Member Women’s Rugby Sevens Squad at Asian Games

New Delhi, September 21: India has announced a 13-member women's Rugby Sevens squad for the 2026 Asian Games, with Shikha Yadav leading the side from the front.
India have been placed in Pool B alongside defending champions China, Hong Kong, China and Malaysia, setting up a challenging group-stage campaign for the team.

The women's Rugby Sevens side first made its Asian Games debut at Guangzhou in 2010. However, it could not make the cut for the 2014 and 2018 editions. The women's team returned again in the multi-sporting event at Hangzhou.

Six members of the Hangzhou squad have retained their places for the upcoming edition, offering the team valuable experience at the big stage. Captain Shikha, vice-captain Dumuni Marndi, Sandhya Rai, Mama Naik, Kalyani Patil and Vaishnavi Patil are the returning faces.

Busy Rugby Schedule For Women's Team Ahead Of Asian Games

India will enter the continental event after a busy year on the international circuit. The side has competed in its second successive season of the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series, gaining further exposure against strong opposition.

India ended Round 1 of the 2026 series in sixth position in Suzhou, repeating its finish from the previous season.

Head coach Paul Delport said the squad has been building towards the Asian Games throughout the season and will focus on maintaining composure and executing its plans under pressure.

"The Asian Games is an important opportunity for this group and one that we have been building towards over the course of the season. We know the level of competition we will face, and our focus has been on preparing the players to be consistent in our execution, stay composed under pressure and trust the work we have put in," Delport said.

Rugby India president Rahul Bose also highlighted the significance of the tournament for the women's programme and pointed to the experience gained through regular international competition.

"The Asian Games is one of the most important platforms for our athletes to represent India, and it is particularly significant for our women's Rugby Sevens programme as we return to the Games for the second time in succession. The continuity from Hangzhou 2022 is encouraging, while the progress the team has made through regular international competition has been important to their development," Bose said.

Asian Games: India Women's Rugby Squad

Shikha Yadav (Captain), Dumuni Marndi (Vice-Captain), Amandeep Kaur, Arti Kumari, Bhumika Shukla, Vaishnavi Patil, Guriya Kumari, Kalyani Patil, Mama Naik, Nirmalya Rout, Sandhya Rai, Sandhyarani Tudu, Ujjwala Ghuge.