India will field a 503-athlete contingent at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. Among the athletes preparing for their first appearance at the continental Games are javelin thrower Rohit Yadav, shooter Suruchi Inder Singh Phogat, badminton player Ayush Shetty, wrestler Sujeet Kalkal and boxer Sakshi Chaudhary. Each has entered the squad after significant performances on the international stage, giving their Asian Games debuts a distinct sporting backstory.
Rohit Yadav: Javelin Rise
Rohit Yadav will make his maiden Asian Games appearance in men’s javelin throw after producing the best performance of his career in 2026. The 25-year-old recorded a personal best of 87.68 metres at the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet in Bhubaneswar on August 22. The effort moved him to second on India’s all-time javelin list, behind Neeraj Chopra.
Yadav’s journey to Aichi-Nagoya has also involved a lengthy rehabilitation period after an elbow ligament injury that required surgery. Following his return to competition, he gradually rebuilt his form before producing the 87.68m throw. With Chopra not competing at the Asian Games, Yadav will be among India’s men’s javelin representatives in Japan.
Suruchi Phogat: Shooting Star
Suruchi Inder Singh Phogat will make her Asian Games debut in shooting, competing in the women’s 10m air pistol. The 20-year-old has already established herself internationally and is listed by the International Shooting Sport Federation among the world’s leading shooters in the event.
She holds the junior world record of 245.1, set in December 2025. Her 2026 season has included a gold medal in the women’s 10m air pistol at the ISSF World Cup in Munich in May, where she defeated compatriot Esha Singh in the final. Suruchi also reached the 10m air pistol final at the Hangzhou World Cup in July.
She began shooting at the age of 13 and travelled by local train with her family to attend a shooting academy in Bhiwani. Her first Asian Games will now add another milestone to her rapidly developing international career.
Ayush Shetty: Badminton Breakthrough
Ayush Shetty is set to make his first Asian Games appearance in men’s singles badminton after a breakthrough period on the international circuit. The 20-year-old won his maiden BWF World Tour title at the 2025 US Open and continued to make headlines in 2026. At the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, in April, Shetty defeated then-world No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semi-final to reach the men’s singles final.
His run made him the first Indian men’s singles player since Dinesh Khanna in 1965 to reach the Badminton Asia Championships final. Shetty also made his World Championships debut in New Delhi in August. He defeated world No. 1 Shi Yuqi before reaching the round of 16, where he lost to Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan. His Asian Games debut will therefore come after a season in which he has already faced some of the strongest players in the sport.
Sujeet Kalkal: Wrestling Force
Sujeet Kalkal will make his Asian Games debut in men’s freestyle wrestling in the 65kg category. The 23-year-old has emerged as one of India’s leading wrestlers at the weight and entered 2026 after winning the Asian Championships. In the 65kg final in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, he defeated Uzbekistan’s Umidjon Jalolov 8-1 to become India’s first men’s freestyle Asian champion at 65kg since Bajrang Punia’s 2019 title.
Kalkal is also a former U23 world champion and has built a strong record in international competition. His Asian Games debut will bring him into a highly competitive 65kg field, where wrestlers from across Asia will compete for the continental title. The event will provide Kalkal with another opportunity to establish himself at senior level.
Sakshi Chaudhary: Boxing Journey
Sakshi Chaudhary will make her Asian Games debut in women’s boxing in the 51kg category. The 25-year-old from Haryana’s Bhiwani Boxing Club secured India’s Asian Games berth after winning the national selection trials. She defeated two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and 2025 world champion Minakshi Hooda during the selection process. Sakshi has a substantial record at age-group level, including a 2015 world junior title and consecutive world youth championships in 2017 and 2018.
She also won bronze at the Asian Championships in 2021 and claimed her first senior national title in 2022. Her move from 54kg to 51kg became an important part of her route to the 2026 Asian Games. The Aichi-Nagoya Games will give her an opportunity to compete at the continental level in one of the most competitive women’s boxing categories.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The Asian Games offer athletes an opportunity to compete alongside the best in their continent, but every debutant arrives with a different story behind that opportunity. Rohit Yadav has returned from injury to produce a career-best throw, Suruchi Phogat has progressed from local training sessions to the international shooting circuit, Ayush Shetty has broken through against elite badminton opponents, Sujeet Kalkal enters after becoming an Asian champion, and Sakshi Chaudhary has earned her place after years of competition across age-group and senior boxing.
Their journeys reflect the persistence, preparation and varied pathways that shape India’s sporting landscape. As these five athletes prepare for their first Asian Games, whose journey are you most looking forward to following in Aichi-Nagoya?
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