Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], September 17 (ANI): The Indian Kabaddi team is in camp under AKFI at the SAI campus in Gandhinagar, as they prepare for the upcoming 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Captain Sunil Kumar, who holds the record for most wins by a captain in Pro Kabaddi League history with 87 across Gujarat Giants, Jaipur Pink Panthers and U Mumba, says leading the team doesn't feel like pressure. Instead, it feels like the natural next step after all the hard work the team has already put in.
Speaking on what it means to lead India into a tournament of this magnitude, Sunil said representing India is a matter of pride, not just for me but for everyone who has helped him get here.
“My teachers, my family, my elder brother. This time I've also become captain, so the responsibility is bigger. But when a team has prepared the way we have, you don't feel that pressure. You just feel ready," he said, according to a PKL release.
The strength and conditioning camp at the IIS centre in Bellary, organised by AKFI in collaboration with Mashal Sports, the promoters of the Pro Kabaddi League, served as a key part of that preparation, and Sunil pointed to this phase as making a real difference.
"The better a player's fitness, the better he performs on the mat. At the IIS Bellary, we identified our weaknesses, worked on them individually, and got our nutrition right. That groundwork has made a real difference," he said.
On the role the Pro Kabaddi League has played in shaping this core group, Sunil added, "PKL has given our players a platform they never had before. Playing 2-3 months of league every year, against foreign raiders and defenders, in pressure situations, that experience carries straight into the international arena. It's why this team walks in confident, not anxious." Sunil himself captained Jaipur Pink Panthers to their Season 9 title in 2022, a campaign that remains the highlight of his league career.
With Kabaddi at the Asian Games carrying an expectation of nothing less than gold, Sunil is clear-eyed about what that means.
"In Kabaddi, there's no such thing as a bronze or silver being enough, as the demand is always gold. There's a bit of pressure that comes with that, because so many great players have worn this jersey before us. But we take confidence from our seniors and legends who have delivered gold, and we back ourselves to walk the same path," he said.
Looking ahead to potential opposition, Sunil singled out Iran as the team to beat.
"Over the last three Asian Games, Iran has been our toughest rival. We won by two points in 2014, lost in 2018, and won by four points in 2023. It would mean a lot to beat them again, and to do it with a strong margin," he added.
Indian Kabaddi Team for 2026 Asian Games: Sunil Kumar (captain), Pawan Sehrawat, Ankit Jaglan, Aslam Inamdar, Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Arjun Deshwal, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Gaurav Khatri, Sumit Sangwan. (ANI)
We don't chase gold, we defend it: Indian men's Kabaddi captain Sunil Kumar ahead of Asian Games
