Pushpa Rana Leads India’s Gold-Medal Mission at Asian Games 2026

The deadline for India’s women’s kabaddi team to defend a gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games offers no pressure but only motivation to captain Pushpa Rana. In her maiden assignment as team captain, the 12-member squad led by Rana has been training by watching opponents and working on target areas highlighted by the coaching staff.

Pushpa Rana Focuses on Preparation

We worked a lot on match situations, opponents, and the things we need to correct from any shortcomings in previous matches, Rana said. Now, as India prepares for the tournament, video analysis of future opponents has become a key element of the preparation, she said.

Also Read: The captain also insisted that the squad is more than ready to face the challenge. India opens its campaign on September 21 against Japan.

This is Rana’s first assignment as leader of India’s Asian Games squad. Former vice-captain, she has said that she was soaking in the experience of senior players like Ritu Negi and Sonali Shingate to ensure better communication and bonding.

Defending the Hangzhou Gold

The women’s kabaddi competition will see India in action as the defending champion. The Indian women’s team clinched the gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, beating Chinese Taipei in a nail-biting final by a score of 26-25. That result means the 2026 squad will aim to successfully defend their crown in Japan.

Rana also said that the success of the previous Indian teams has laid a good foundation for the present ones. She said players do not feel pressure to win a fourth gold medal, but instead want to build on what earlier teams accomplished.

Close to the Asian Games, India also picked up its most recent international title by winning the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup in November 2025.

Pooja Kajla Highlights Women’s Sport

Pooja Kajla, from India also mentioned that the Asian Games campaign meant a lot. Arjuna awardee also added, “One more gold can motivate younger girls to take up sports & create family interest in supporting daughters towards it.”

The camp will help the fighters prepare in all areas, including maintaining their physical fitness and conditioning, something that Kajla echoed in terms of the benefits to themselves. Additional sessions around sleep and recovery also primed players to develop better habits for performance and preparation, she said. The camp was conducted in collaboration with the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India and Mashal Sports.

India’s Women’s Kabaddi Squad

India will field a 12-player squad at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games:

Player	Role
Pushpa Rana	Captain
Ritu Negi	Player
Sonali Shingate	Player
Sanju Devi	Player
Pooja Kajla	Player
Ritu Sheoran	Player
Jyoti Thakur	Player
Pinki Roy	Player
Manisha Kumari	Player
Bhavna Thakur	Player
Raj Rani	Player
Nikita Kumari	Player

India’s Asian Games Schedule

India’s women’s kabaddi campaign begins on September 21, when the team faces Bangladesh in Group A. The team will then meet Iran on September 23 before facing Japan on September 24. The semi-finals are scheduled for September 25, followed by the gold-medal match on September 26.

Date	Stage	India Women
September 21, 2026	Group A	India vs Bangladesh
September 23, 2026	Group A	India vs Iran
September 24, 2026	Group A	India vs Japan
September 25, 2026	Semi-final	To be determined
September 26, 2026	Gold Medal Match	To be determined

A Strong Asian Games Record

India has bagged all 11 available Asiad kabaddi golds, three from the women’s competition. Women’s: 2010, 2014, and 2022, Gold; and Silver in 2018.

So, the 2026 tournament marks another chapter in the long history of Indian supremacy in Asian Games kabaddi. The side, which will now aim to convert their preparation into performance on the mat, has welcomed Captain Pushpa Rana along with seasoned players like Ritu Negi and Sonali Shingate.

Also Read: Pro Kabaddi Points Table 2025 | All Pro Kabaddi 2025 Players List