The Asian Games 2026 kabaddi competition is set to begin in the last week of September, and the Indian Men’s and Women’s Kabaddi squads were officially announced a few days ago.
Now, the wait is finally over as the captains for both teams have also been confirmed. Interestingly, both the men’s and women’s teams will head into the tournament under newly appointed captains.
India Men’s Kabaddi Team Captain: Sunil Kumar
Sunil Kumar has been appointed as the captain of the India Men’s Kabaddi Team for the 20th Asian Games 2026.
He is already regarded as one of the most successful captains in the Pro Kabaddi League, and now he has been given the responsibility of leading India on the international stage once again. Although many may think this is his first opportunity, it is actually the second time he has been named captain of the Indian men’s team.
Sunil Kumar’s Journey as Captain
Sunil Kumar’s leadership journey began in PKL Season 6, when Gujarat Fortunegiants appointed him as their captain. It was the first time he led a team on such a big stage, and he made an immediate impact.
Under his captaincy, Gujarat Fortunegiants reached the PKL Season 6 Final. However, they narrowly missed the title after losing to Bengaluru Bulls. Even though the trophy slipped away, it was an impressive start to his captaincy career.
A few seasons later, in PKL Season 9, Sunil joined Jaipur Pink Panthers. Once again, he led his team to the final, but this time he went one step further by defeating Puneri Paltan and lifting his first PKL trophy as captain.
Also Read | India Full Squad for Asian Games 2026
His First Opportunity to Lead India
After establishing himself as a successful PKL captain, Sunil Kumar was appointed captain of the India Men’s Kabaddi Team for the 11th Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023 held in Busan, South Korea.
Unfortunately, due to visa-related issues, he reached Korea late. As a result, Pawan Sehrawat was handed the captaincy for the tournament. India went on to win the championship, with Pawan lifting the trophy as captain.
Later that same year, India competed in the 19th Asian Games, where Pawan Sehrawat continued as captain and led the team to another gold medal.
Although Sunil had earned the captaincy, circumstances prevented him from leading India on the mat.
A Second Chance at the Asian Games
Now, time has come full circle.
For the 20th Asian Games 2026, Sunil Kumar has finally been appointed as the captain of the India Men’s Kabaddi Team.
He holds the record for the most wins as a captain in Pro Kabaddi League history, which speaks volumes about his leadership and experience. There is no doubt that he deserves this opportunity, and Indian fans will be hoping he leads the team to another historic gold medal.
We wish Sunil Kumar all the very best and hope everything goes smoothly this time as he finally gets the chance to captain India at the Asian Games.
India Women’s Kabaddi Team Captain Also Announced
The captain of the India Women’s Kabaddi Team has also been confirmed.
Pushpa Rana has been appointed as the new captain and will lead the women’s team at the Asian Games 2026. She now has the opportunity to guide India on one of the biggest stages in international kabaddi, and fans will be wishing her the very best for the tournament.
Conclusion
With both captains officially announced, Team India is now fully prepared for the Asian Games 2026. The excitement is building as the tournament draws closer, and all eyes will be on the Indian men’s and women’s teams as they aim for gold once again.
Stay tuned with Kabaddi Ultras for the latest Asian Games 2026 and international kabaddi updates.
