At the upcoming National Games (CWG 2026), India faces the task not only of winning medals but also of maintaining the tradition of being among the top five countries, a streak that has been consistent for the last two decades since the games in Manchester in 2002. However, the current competition format and the absence of some sports strong for India complicate this task.
The games, which begin in Glasgow on Thursday, July 23, include only 10 sports. Approximately 3000 athletes from about 74 countries will participate across four sporting venues. This edition was designed to reduce costs, with a budget of around 160 million pounds sterling, which is about 60 percent less than in Birmingham in 2022.
The main obstacle for India is the exclusion of disciplines such as hockey, wrestling, badminton, table tennis, and shooting from the program. These sports accounted for almost half of the 61 medals won by India in Birmingham 2022. Consequently, the entire responsibility now falls on boxing, athletics, and weightlifting.
India has sent a team of 32 to athletics, which will compete in 22 competitive disciplines. The greatest attention is focused on Niraj Chopra, a two-time Olympic medalist. Nevertheless, the men's javelin throw promises to be difficult: Rumesh Tharanga from Sri Lanka recently made a splash by throwing the implement 92.62 meters, and Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem is also a strong contender for the gold medal, requiring Chopra to be in peak condition.
In addition, India is expected to win medals in high jump by Sarvesh Kushare, long jump by Murili Shrishankar, triple jump by Pravin Chitravel, as well as in the men's and women's 4x400 meter relay.
Attention is focused on Merabai Chanu, the Olympic silver medalist in weightlifting, in all circles. Merabai has already won gold at two previous national games and intends to take a third consecutive gold. However, India faces a challenge here too: because many weightlifters failed doping tests during the national camp, India will field only 11 athletes, which may limit the potential number of medals.
Boxing is considered one of India's strongest areas. Lovlina Borgohain (75 kg) will seek her first medal at the National Games. World champion Jasmyn Lamboria (57 kg) will try to turn the bronze won in Birmingham into gold. Strong contenders also include Preeti Pawar (54 kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51 kg), and Arundhati Chaudhary (70 kg). In the men's division, medals are expected from Narendra Berwal (+90 kg) and Sachin Siva (60 kg).
India also hopes for success in Lawn Bowls, Judo, and among para-athletes. In Birmingham 2022, India achieved a historic result in Lawn Bowls, winning gold in the women's team event and silver in the men's. This year, the team aims to repeat this success. The goal in Judo is to surpass the three medals won last time, and Indian para-athletes can make a significant contribution to the medal tally in six para-disciplines.
The National Games are scheduled to start on July 23. The first day will be dedicated to Lawn Bowls, featuring group matches in men's singles and women's doubles. The official opening will take place at 22:30 IST. Starting from July 24, competitions in boxing, gymnastics, para-powerlifting, and swimming will begin. Weightlifting starts on July 26, athletics on July 27, cycling on July 30, and judo on July 31.
Following the completion of a three-match ODI cricket series against England, the entire focus of the Indian national team will now be directed towards preparing for the 2027 One Day International (ODI) World Cup.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) will host the 2027 ODI World Cup (50 overs) in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia from October 4 to November 21, 2027.
Despite India's 2-1 loss to England, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli demonstrated good play against England. Fans are eagerly awaiting the chance to see the Rohit-Virat duo again. Currently, both players are only featuring in ODI format.
In September, the Indian team will be back on the field, participating in a three-match home series against the West Indies. Then, in November, the Indian squad will play five ODI matches against New Zealand. This series is considered one of the most important for preparation for the 2027 World Cup, as the New Zealand team is strong, and India will want to present its best lineup and starting XI.
Subsequently, in December, a three-match series against Sri Lanka will take place in India. The start of 2027 will feature a three-match home series against Zimbabwe in January. Furthermore, the Asia Cup in the 50-over format is expected in Bangladesh in June. If this happens, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli may once again represent India before the major ICC tournament.
The combination of all these series and tournaments will provide India with the opportunity to play at least 14 ODI matches before the 2027 World Cup (3 against West Indies, 5 against New Zealand, 3 against Sri Lanka, 3 against Zimbabwe).
If the Asia Cup also takes place in the 50-over format, this number will increase. Every match will be of immense importance for India in terms of determining the squad for the World Cup, player rotation, batting and bowling composition, and the starting XI.
It should also be noted that the ODI series between India and Bangladesh, originally scheduled for August, has been postponed to September 2026. Initially, India was supposed to visit Bangladesh for 3 T20s and 3 ODI matches. This series was postponed due to security concerns caused by political instability in Bangladesh, and its schedule has not yet been announced.
India's Tour to West Indies (September-October 2026): The first match is scheduled for September 27, 2026, in Trivandrum, the second for September 30, 2026, in Guwahati, and the third for October 3, 2026, in Chandigarh.
India's Tour to New Zealand (November 2026): The series will begin on November 4, 2026, at Eden Park in Auckland, continue on November 7, 2026, in Wellington, November 10, 2026, at Seddon Park in Hamilton, November 13, 2026, at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, and conclude on November 15, 2026, at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.
India's Tour to Sri Lanka (December 2026): Three matches will take place on December 13, 2026, in Delhi, December 16, 2026, in Bengaluru, and December 19, 2026, in Ahmedabad.
India's Tour to Zimbabwe (January 2027): The start of 2027 includes three home matches: the first on January 3, 2027, in Kolkata, the second on January 6, 2027, in Hyderabad, and the third on January 9, 2027, in Mumbai.
For Indian hockey, August marks not just a tournament, but a chance to change history. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of their 1975 World Cup victory, the Indian team intends to reclaim the world's biggest hockey trophy.
At the upcoming IIHF World Hockey Championship, taking place from August 14 to 30 and jointly organized by the Netherlands and Belgium, India will compete with the goal of ending a half-century title drought.
To participate in the tournament, India has formed a squad of 20 players. The team will once again be managed by star defender and flank player Harmanpreet Singh, who helped conclude a 41-year wait by bringing two silver medals to India at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics.
Under Harmanpreet's leadership, the Indian team has entered the ranks of leading global hockey teams in recent years, but the World Cup remains an unfinished chapter. India's last World Cup victory was achieved in Kuala Lumpur in 1975. Previously, the team won bronze in Barcelona in 1971 and silver in Amsterdam in 1973, but failed to return to the podium after that.
In the previous tournament in 2023, the Indian team finished in ninth place. Therefore, this time the goal is not only to improve results but also to bring back golden memories by winning medals.
Before the World Cup, India's campaign in the IIHF Pro League did not meet expectations. In the European stage, India secured only four wins in 16 matches, with five games ending in a draw and seven in a loss. The team finished eighth in the table of nine teams, surpassing only Pakistan.
Nevertheless, coach Craig Fulton believes that the selected squad for the World Cup represents a balanced combination of experience and youthful enthusiasm. He noted that the team includes both players with tournament experience and young athletes who earned their spots through performance, not just by name.
The team includes experienced midfielder Manpreet Singh, who is the player with the most international matches in the country. His experience will be complemented by players such as Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, and Nilakant Sharma, who will strengthen the midfield. Goalkeepers will be Mohit HS and Suraj Kakkar. In defense, alongside Harmanpreet, are Amit Rohidas, Jarmandeep Singh, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit, and Yashdip Sivach. The attack relies on Mandip Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Abhishek, Sukjit Singh, and Shilanand Lakadu.
Four players from the 24-person Pro League squad could not make it into the World Cup team. These were defender Amdeep Lakada, midfielder Raj Kumar Pal, Rbichandra Singh Moirangtem, and forward Salwam Karti. This difficult decision was made by the team management due to the limit on the number of players in the squad.
India has been placed in Group D along with England, Pakistan, and Wales. All group matches will be played in Amstelveen, Netherlands. The campaign begins on August 15 against Wales, followed by a match against England on August 17, and on August 19, a meeting with Pakistan, which is considered the most anticipated fixture of the group stage.
Coach Craig Fulton clearly outlined the team's strategy: 'Pressing, counter-attack, performance—it is not just our strategy, it is part of our training and mindset. We are not thinking about the future. Our goal is to play each match individually.'
Now the question remains: can this team under Harmanpreet Singh end the 50-year wait? Can Indian hockey write world champion history again? The campaign starting on August 15 will be more than just a tournament for India; it will be an attempt to reclaim a glorious past.
