Nagoya: India’s rapidly-growing sporting depth would go through a trial by fire when the 20th Asian Games get underway here on Saturday with athletes aiming to present a snapshot of the country’s broader ambition of dashing into the global top-10 in the next one decade.
Based on sheer number of athletes (close to 11,000) in fray and the sports on its roster (43), the Asiad has been a bigger competition than the Olympics despite featuring a significantly lesser 45 countries.
India’s challenge would be presented by a jumbo group of 501 athletes, who have not had an easy ride since landing here due to the chaotic accommodation situation, with many of them forced to wait for several hours to get rooms that are being described as cramped and ill-equipped to deal with the requirements of a sportsperson.
Nagoya is the industrial heart of Japan’s manufacturing belt and wears its identity proudly. Chimneys punctuate the skyline, a reminder of the city’s industrial might, yet the streets and surrounding areas are remarkably clean, and orderly.
The surroundings are far cry from the upheaval that has marred the build-up to the Games with athletes landing in the city, unable to find rooms to rest for several hours after long flights.
But Japan would be desperately hoping for the things to settle down once the action officially begins with the opening ceremony on Saturday.
India arrive at the Games with ambitions that stretch well beyond the medal tally.
The record haul of 106 medals at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games changed the contours of India’s expectations.
It was the country’s biggest-ever medal haul at the continental showpiece and, more importantly, reinforced the belief that Indian sport is capable of consistently competing across disciplines and not merely relying on a handful of traditional medal-winning events.
Nagoya now offers another opportunity to build on that momentum.
India’s stated sporting ambition is to emerge among the top 10 sporting nations by 2036 and break into the top five by 2047. Those are targets for the longer term, but every major multi-sport event offers a snapshot of how close the country is to that broader vision.
These Games, therefore, are about more than simply adding to the medal tally. They are another test of the depth of Indian sport, the strength of its emerging talent and its ability to turn potential into performances when the pressure is greatest.
Leading the charge will be India’s track-and-field athletes and shooters.
The shooting contingent, in particular, arrives with a formidable mix of youth and experience, led by double Olympic-medallist pistol ace Manu Bhaker.
With 30 shooters in the squad, India has enough firepower across rifle, pistol and shotgun to mount another serious challenge.
The expectation, however, comes with a degree of realism.
China remains a formidable force in shooting, and the margins between success and disappointment can be razor-thin.
Indian shooters have the ability to produce medals across events, but each competition will ultimately be decided on the day.
The same applies to athletics, where India will compete without one of its biggest stars.
Neeraj Chopra, the two-time Asian Games champion and one of the country’s most celebrated athletes, will miss the event because of injury, denying him the opportunity to chase a third successive Asian Games gold.
Yet his absence does not leave Indian athletics short of ambition.
The 74-member contingent includes a host of athletes capable of challenging for medals. Tajinderpal Singh Toor will bid for a third consecutive Asian Games gold in the men’s shot put.
Murali Sreeshankar in long jump, Gulveer Singh in distance events, Rohit Yadav in javelin, Tejaswin Shankar in decathlon and Ancy Sojan in women’s long jump are also among those who will carry medal hopes.
Sarvesh Kushare in high jump, Jyothi Yarraji in 100m hurdles and Praveen Chithravel in triple jump add further depth, provided they are able to overcome the injury concerns that have affected them in recent months.
India is looking for a substantial medal contribution from athletics after winning 29 medals — six gold, 14 silver and nine bronze — in Hangzhou. Whether that target is met will depend, as always, on execution when it matters most.
Cricket will also command enormous attention.
The Indian women’s team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, has made no secret of the importance it attaches to these Games. With cricket set to make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028, the Asian Games are being viewed as an important step towards that larger goal.
Harmanpreet and head coach Amol Muzumdar have described Nagoya as a kind of “teaser” for the Olympics, but the immediate objective remains clear: defend the Asian Games title.
The men’s team, meanwhile, returns with unfinished business of sorts. India won gold in Hangzhou after its final against Afghanistan was washed out and the higher-ranked side was awarded the title. A full-strength Indian team will now have the opportunity to settle matters on the field.
Badminton too carries significant expectations. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will look to go one step further after their success in Hangzhou and chase India’s first Asian Games gold in men’s doubles.
PV Sindhu brings the experience of major multi-sport competition, while the younger generation, including Unnati Hooda, represents the next wave of Indian badminton.
Hockey remains another cornerstone of India’s Asian Games campaign. The men, defending champions under captain Harmanpreet Singh, will look to put recent disappointments in the World Cup and Pro League behind them and secure the automatic qualification place for the Los Angeles Olympics that comes with Asian Games gold.
The women, meanwhile, will be determined to improve on their bronze medal from Hangzhou. Their recent performances, including a fifth-place finish at the World Cup, offer reason for confidence, but the Asian Games present an entirely different challenge.
Archery, boxing and kabaddi will add to the medal hunt.
Indian women boxers arrive with renewed confidence after their strong showing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, while both men and women will be expected to contribute heavily to the medal count.
In kabaddi, India’s men’s team remains among the dominant forces in Asian sport.
After their title run was interrupted in 2018, they reclaimed the gold in Hangzhou and will again enter the competition among the leading contenders.
The early hassles can now give way to the real business.
The competition begins, the medals are decided and the spotlight shifts from where athletes are staying to what they can produce on the field of play.
Hangzhou established a new bench-mark for India. Nagoya is the next test. The road to 2036 is a long one. In Nagoya, India takes another step along it.
