Changes in the Indian squad for the 2026 Asian Games: New Faces and Experienced Players

Significant changes have been made to the Indian squad participating in the 2026 Asian Games. The men's selection committee has formed a team of 15 players, which includes the young batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Meanwhile, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya could not make this list.

Shreyas Iyer will lead the team, and Tilak Verma has been appointed as vice-captain. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan will take charge of the wicket-keeping positions.

For Vaibhav Suryavanshi, this is another big opportunity as he is included in the 15-man squad for the Asian Games. Furthermore, he has been selected to participate in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Thus, the selectors continue to show confidence in the young Vaibhav by giving him a chance to demonstrate his skills in a major international cricket tournament at the Asian Games.

Hardik Pandya's name is absent from the squad selected for the Asian Games. Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akshar Patel, and Washington Sundar have been included as all-rounders. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Yash Thakur will head the bowling unit. Additionally, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi will strengthen the spin department.

The selection committee also provided an important update regarding Harshit Rana. Although Harshit Rana successfully recovered during rehabilitation, he sustained a rectus femoris strain while bowling during the September 7 training match. Due to this injury, he has been excluded from both the T20I series against Afghanistan and the Asian Games. His place was taken by fast bowler Yash Thakur from Vidwarha.

27-year-old Yash Thakur recently debuted in T20I during India's tour in Zimbabwe. He played two matches and took four wickets. His home T20 statistics are also impressive: he took 114 wickets in 76 T20 matches at an average pace of 8.20. Now Yash faces two major opportunities: he will be part of the Indian team in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, and then he will be available for the Asian Games.

The squad for the series against Afghanistan has also changed. The updated squad for the three T20I matches against Afghanistan consists of 15 players. Shreyas Iyer is the captain, and Tilak Verma is the vice-captain. The team includes Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akshar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Yash Thakur.

The squad for the Asian Games also selected 15 players, including Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yash Thakur. The Indian squad for the 2026 Asian Games includes Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Verma (vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akshar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Yash Thakur.

In a statement released by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, information was provided about Harshit Rana's injury and the inclusion of Yash Thakur as his replacement.

It should be noted that the Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4, where the Indian team will play in the quarterfinals on September 28. The T20 series against Afghanistan starts on September 13; the other two matches are scheduled for September 15 and 17. All matches of the series against Afghanistan will be held at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

The Indian delegation is fully prepared for the Asian Games 2026, which will be held in Ithenag. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has approved the composition of the delegation, numbering 758 people, for the period from September 19 to October 4. This group includes 503 athletes and 246 support staff.

India will participate in 35 out of 43 sports. Previously, India demonstrated outstanding results at the Asian Games, surpassing the mark of 100 medals for the first time, winning 107 medals in Hangzhou. Now, Indian athletes aim to improve these figures in Japan.

The Indian team comprises 269 male and 234 female athletes. Initially, participation of 492 athletes was approved, but subsequently, another 11 people were added. Among the new participants are six track and field athletes, four surfers, and one mixed martial arts (MMA) athlete.

In track and field, Pravin Kumar, Harita Bhadra, Kiran Pahal, Asha Ilango, Sindhuri Ganesha, and Sanya Yadav have secured spots. In MMA, Varun Sanyal has joined the team, and in surfing, Kishor Kumar, Shivaj Babu, Kamali Prakash, and Sugar Shanti Gaen are included.

Cricket Team Composition

The Indian cricket delegation (men and women) consists of 50 people, including 20 support staff. Viv S. Laxman will head the men's team, and Amol Majumdar will take charge of the women's team. Both Indian teams are considered strong contenders for victory in cricket.

Hockey Team

In hockey (men and women), India will send a delegation of 54 people, consisting of 40 athletes and 14 support staff. Hockey remains one of India's main hopes for winning medals at the Asian Games.

Despite its significance, Niraj Chopra's name will not be among the participants in the Indian delegation. The star javelin thrower Niraj withdrew from the tournament due to a knee ligament injury. Niraj previously won gold medals at the Asian Games in Jakarta (2018) and Hangzhou (2023), and his absence is a serious blow to India's campaign in athletics.

Furthermore, a delegation of 19 officials from the Indian Olympic Committee will travel to Japan. Sahedh Yadav, head of the Weightlifting Federation, has been appointed as the mission chief, assisted by four deputy mission chiefs. Dr. Dinasho Pardiwala has been assigned the role of Chief Medical Officer.

The preparation of the Indian squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan is gaining momentum. In the men's cricket tournament, starting on September 24th, the team will be led by Shreyas Iyer. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir will not participate in these games.

The reason for Gautam Gambhir's absence is the overlap between the dates of the Asian Games and India's multi-format series against West Indies. This forces the Indian squad to compete on two fronts: the main team will play the series against the West Indies, while the team under Shreyas Iyer will represent India at the Asian Games.

In Gautam Gambhir's absence, former batsman Vice-Vice Laxman will take over the duties of head coach. This was reported by the news agency PTI. Laxman's support staff will include Sunil Joshi, Rishikesh Kanitkar, and Subdip Ghosh. Additionally, Maruf Fadjdar will take the position of assistant staff manager.

The Indian team includes many T20 stars, making it considered a strong contender for the gold medal. Regarding the team structure, there will be many specialists in the coaching and other functions within the support staff. Among them, after athletics, the largest contingent will be in the cricket sector for the Asian Games.

The Indian team will bypass the group stage of the Asian Games, receiving direct entry into the quarterfinals. Shreyas Iyer's team will play its first match in the 2026 Asian Games in the second quarterfinal match. Meanwhile, Pakistan will start the game in the first quarterfinal. In addition to India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have also qualified directly for the quarterfinals, although the determination of the quarterfinal opponents will happen later.

The Indian team represents an excellent combination of experience and youthful enthusiasm. Besides captain Shreyas Iyer, the attacking lineup is strengthened by players such as Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. The all-rounders include Shivam Dubey, Tilak Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akshar Patel, and Washington Sundar. In the spin department, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi will take responsibility. The fast bowling line-up is bolstered by options such as Jasprit Bumrah, Arshad Singh, and Harshit Rana.

Special attention will be paid to 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Vaibhav, who gained recognition through his explosive batting in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and domestic cricket, will get the opportunity to prove his abilities on a major stage like the Asian Games.

The team under Shreyas Iyer includes many players capable of changing the course of a match in just a few overs in T20 cricket. This is why India is considered one of the strongest candidates for the title even before the tournament begins.

Indian team composition: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dubey, Tilak Verma (vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akshar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshad Singh, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi.