Heading into Asian Games 2026, the Indian contingent is aiming to achieve a record medal tally for the nation. After winning a total of 106 medals in the previous edition in Hangzhou, India have a nearly 500-member contingent this time around to try and better that tally. Having won 28 gold medals in Hangzhou, there is a strong chance that India will improve on that number in Aichi-Nagoya. Let’s take a look at the nation’s 10 best medal prospects at Asian Games 2026.
1. Kabaddi – Men and Women
India’s surest chance of gold is in kabaddi, a sport in which the nation has held an unparalleled stranglehold in Asian Games history. India have won Asian Games gold in all but one edition in both men’s and women’s kabaddi.
India enter as the defending Asiad champions in both categories, and both the men and women also won gold at the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup. Undeniably, India are hot favourites to win not one, but both golds from kabaddi in Aichi-Nagoya.
2. Cricket – Men and Women
Much like kabaddi, India are also the class of the field when it comes to cricket. The Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams won gold in Hangzhou, and are expected to repeat the feat in Aichi-Nagoya.
The men and women are defending Asia Cup champions, with both sides winning their respective tournaments in dominant fashion. In men’s cricket, India are arguably the strongest in the world, let alone Asia.
3. Hockey – Men (and Women?)
While the Indian men’s hockey team failed to make a good impression at the recent Hockey World Cup 2026, it is still comfortably the best Asian team in the world, and therefore, heavy favourites to win a fifth Asiad gold, beating the likes of Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and China.
In women’s hockey, India have just one gold – in the inaugural tournament in 1982 – but there is increased optimism in a return to the top. The Indian women’s hockey team registered its best-ever finish at the Hockey World Cup recently, and a similar run could see them return to the top of the podium after 44 years.
4. Jyothi Surekha Vennam – Archery
In Hangzhou, Jyothi Surekha Vennam swept the archery gold medals, winning the individual compound archery, women’s team compound archery and mixed team compound archery events.
Having also won the individual and team golds at the Asian Archery Championships 2025, Jyothi is expected to bag multiple medals at the upcoming Asiad.
5. Dhiraj Bommadevara – Archery
Dhiraj Bommadevara is a man in form. The 25-year-old seems to be in the prime of his archery career, and became the first Indian male recurve archer to win gold at the Archery World Cup just a few days ago.
Having won golds at the Archery World Cup 2026 and the Asian Championships 2025, there is expectation that Dhiraj will significantly improve on his sole Asiad silver from Hangzhou.
6. Esha Singh – Shooting
Esha Singh might be India’s surest bet of shooting gold at Asian Games 2026, given her recent form.
The 21-year-old enters the Asian Games 2026 after winning ISSF World Cup golds in Munich and Hangzhou this year in the women’s 25m pistol event, including a world record score in the former. She’s also a force to be reckoned with in the women’s 10m air pistol event, having won gold at the 2026 Asian Championships in New Delhi.
7. Manu Bhaker – Shooting
Esha Singh’s recent rise isn’t to discount Manu Bhaker, who remains the face of Indian shooting and the one with the highest pedigree – two Olympic medals.
In 2026, Manu Bhaker has come close to – but ultimately failed – to clinch an individual gold in either the women’s 10m air pistol or the 25m pistol events. She will be eager to find her best form and clinch a first individual Asiad gold in Aichi-Nagoya.
8. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty – Badminton
The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will be India’s best bet of clinching an Asian Games 2026 gold in badminton.
The duo enter Aichi-Nagoya as the defending champions in their category, and have form on their side after winning the China Masters title a few weeks ago.
9. Tajinderpal Singh Toor – Shot Put
Tajinderpal Singh Toor is eyeing a shot at history at Asian Games 2026. He can become the first Indian to win three consecutive shot put golds at the Asiad.
Toor didn’t find his best form at the recent Commonwealth Games amid battles with injury. However, his season-best of 21.03m is still the clear best by an Asian in this calendar year, giving him a great chance at gold.
10. Sarvesh Kushare – High Jump
At the age of 31, high jumper Sarvesh Kushare is finding the best form of his career in 2026. While a 2.26m jump was only enough to get him fourth at the Hangzhou Asian Games, he heads into Aichi-Nagoya with the season-best mark of any Asian, at 2.31m. Kushare’s 2.25m jump also saw him clinch silver at the Commonwealth Games 2026.
Despite never winning an Asiad medal before, Kushare has the capability to leap beyond his strong rivals and clinch a gold this time around.
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