"No competition greater than Asian Games": Captain Sunil Kumar after gold
Captain Sunil Kumar hails Asian Games gold as the ultimate achievement after India's stunning second-half comeback against Iran.
The Indian men's kabaddi team has reclaimed its dominance on the continental stage, clinching the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 after a breathtaking performance in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Captain Sunil Kumar, leading a side that refused to back down, described the victory as the pinnacle of success for any kabaddi athlete.
A Dramatic Second-Half Turnaround
The final against Iran was a tale of two halves. At the interval, the defending champions looked to be in trouble, trailing 17-18 in a tightly contested opening period. However, the Indian squad emerged from the break with renewed ferocity, completely shifting the momentum of the match.
India executed a stunning comeback to finish the game with a 40-34 victory. Unlike the nail-biting finish seen in the 2023 finals, the Indian team established a commanding lead in the latter stages, leaving Iran with almost no opportunities to recover. Key contributors Sumit and Arjun Deshwal were instrumental in this surge, providing the intensity required to pull away from their opponents.
"The Ultimate Achievement"
Speaking after the historic win, Sunil Kumar emphasized that the team's success was no accident, but rather the result of disciplined preparation. He noted that the squad had undergone eight months of rigorous training to ensure they were ready for this moment.
"I won the gold medal, and I’m absolutely delighted. The only thought was that we would win. Our team is the best; we were trained for eight months, so we were bound to reap the rewards of that hard work."
For Kumar, the weight of an Asian Games medal carries unparalleled significance in the current sporting landscape. While the dream of seeing kabaddi on the world's biggest stage remains alive, the current prestige of the Asian Games is unmatched.
The Road to the Olympics
While celebrating the gold, the captain also touched upon the future of the sport. He expressed a strong desire to see kabaddi included in the Olympic Games, acknowledging that while the Olympics represent the ultimate global goal, the Asian Games remain the highest level of competition currently available to kabaddi players.
"Asian Games medal is the ultimate achievement. Absolutely the biggest. There is no competition greater than the Asian Games for us, since kabaddi isn't part of the Olympics yet," Kumar stated. "We do want it included in the Olympics, of course, but winning gold at the Asian Games stands above everything else."
This latest triumph adds another golden chapter to India's storied history in kabaddi, reinforcing their status as the undisputed powerhouse of the sport in Asia.