Here, we are looking at our team sports — cricket, kabaddi, hockey, sepak takraw, rugby 7s and volleyball. Honestly, I do not believe we can medal in volleyball or rugby 7s. A quarterfinal appearance in either would be a good result, so let us focus on the other four.
Hockey
We have two contrasting stories unfolding. The Indian men's team is slipping down the rankings and currently occupies 8th place, while the women's team is climbing the rankings, although it too is currently ranked 8th. So, what can we expect at the Asian Games?
The Indian men's team has not been in great form, but the competition at the Asian Games is not particularly strong, and we should still be aiming for gold.
In the women's event, China is our only real rival. The Chinese women are ranked 4th in the world and are Olympic silver medallists. However, India finished ahead of China in the recent World Cup, and the match between the two teams ended in a draw. So, I would put the chances of either team winning gold at roughly 50–50.
Kabaddi
India is probably the dominant team in both the men's and women's events. Iran in the men's competition and Chinese Taipei in the women's competition, however, can give us a run for our money.
Kabaddi seems to offer India a near-certain medal, but we should not forget that in 2018, we lost both the men's and women's championships to Iran. Nevertheless, I hope we can hold on to both gold medals this time.
Cricket
Well, coming to the national obsession, the level of both men's and women's cricket in Asia is not particularly high as of now. While there could be surprises, I would say that a men's and women's gold medal are both likely.
Sepak Takraw
Sepak takraw is a sport originating in Southeast Asia. Played with a rattan ball, it is a combination of volleyball and football, where players can strike the ball with any part of their body except their arms and hands.
In India, the sport is played particularly in Nagaland and Manipur. Our recent Asian Games history in the sport includes two bronze medals.
Excitingly, in this edition of the Asian Games, we have a genuine chance to improve on that record. The men's quad team has been performing well, winning a bronze at the King's Cup, the premier event in sepak takraw.
There is another important factor working in our favour. The Asian Games restrict each country to participating in a maximum of four events. It so happens that both Malaysia and Thailand have opted not to field teams in the men's quad event. This makes a medal look almost certain, with a possibility of gold.
The women's regu team, which consists of three players, may also have a chance of winning a medal.
| Sport | 2022 Gold | 2022 Total | 2026 Gold (pred.) | 2026 Total (pred.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey | 1 | 2 | 1–2 | 2 |
| Kabaddi | 2 | 2 | 1–2 | 2 |
| Cricket | 2 | 2 | 1–2 | 2 |
| Sepak Takraw | 0 | 1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Team sports total | 5 | 7 | 3–7 | 7–8 |
Two contrasting stories
1–2- Men slipping to 8th but still gold favourites here
- Women 50–50 against China after a World Cup draw
Dominant, not invincible
1–2- Iran the threat in men's, Chinese Taipei in women's
- Both titles were lost to Iran back in 2018
The national obsession
1–2- Standard of Asian cricket is not especially high
- Both men's and women's gold look likely
The genuine upside
0–1- Men's quad won bronze at the King's Cup
- Malaysia and Thailand skipping the men's quad event
Outside the medal conversation
A quarterfinal appearance in either of these would be a good result for India in 2026.
Taken together, India's team sports look set to deliver much the same as they did in Hangzhou — around seven or eight medals, with three to seven of them gold. The interesting story is sepak takraw, where a favourable draw and a rising men's quad team give India a real chance to better its best-ever result. In the next blog post, we will look at the key racquet sports.
Be the first to comment.