Why were Naveen Kumar & Surjeet Singh not selected in Indian men's kabaddi team for Asian Games 2026?
The Kabaddi events at the Asian Games 2026 are scheduled to take place from September 21 to 26.
The Indian men’s kabaddi team are ready to compete for gold at the Asian Games 2026. Historically, they have been the most successful team, winning eight gold medals and one bronze medal.
Only once have they been stopped from winning gold, when Iran defeated them in the semi-final of the 2018 Asian Games and later went on to win the gold medal after defeating South Korea in the final.
However, India reclaimed their dominance at the 2022 Asian Games after defeating Iran in the final and winning the gold medal once again. Now, they have a job to defend their gold.
This time, it won’t be an easy job, as Iran are the most balanced team. However, the Indian selectors have done an excellent job and chosen a strong 12-member squad to represent the country at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan.
However, some key names are missing from the squad, including experienced players Naveen Kumar and Surjeet Singh. Both were part of the gold medal-winning team at the 2022 Asian Games. On that note, let’s understand why they have not been selected in India’s squad.
Why is Naveen Kumar not selected in India’s squad?
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Naveen Kumar has been one of the best raiders in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League. He was also part of the Indian team that won the gold medal at the last Asian Games. However, this time around, the selectors have chosen not to continue with him in the Indian team.
The reason might be Naveen’s form over the past few years. Naveen has been battling several injuries over the past few years and has often missed major events. His form has also deteriorated.
The other six raiders selected for the team are in better form than Naveen, and the competition for a place in the national team has always been high, which made the case worse for Naveen.
Why is Surjeet Singh not selected in India’s squad?
Surjeet Singh is one of the most experienced defenders in Indian kabaddi right now, and he has shown his capabilities over the past few years, proving he is still valuable to any team he plays for.
Recently, Dabang Delhi won the Pro Kabaddi League Season 12, and Surjeet played a major role as a senior player and an experienced defender.
However, he wasn’t given a chance to represent the national team. Surjeet was also part of the Indian team that won the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games, but this time around, the management went with only two covers in the squad.
They tried to accommodate more raiders in the team and selected no backup players for the cover position. Even though Surjeet deserved to be in the national team, the team management preferred another combination, in which there was no place for Surjeet.
Which two experienced players were not selected in the Indian men’s kabaddi team for Asian Games 2026?
The two experienced players who were not selected are Naveen Kumar and Surjeet Singh. Both were part of India’s gold medal-winning team at the 2022 Asian Games.
When will the Kabaddi event at the Asian Games 2026 start?
The Kabaddi event at the 2026 Asian Games is scheduled to start on September 21, 2026, and will run until September 26, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
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Kabaddi is old, but not older than my love for it. I am still a rookie, but kabaddi is one thing I have been following passionately since my childhood. I don't miss any matches of the league and I regularly follow domestic and international tournaments as well.