Pushpa Rana named India women's kabaddi captain for Asian Games 2026

Pushpa Rana has been appointed captain of the Indian women's kabaddi team for the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India announced on Tuesday. The decision surprised parts of the kabaddi community after Ritu Negi was widely expected to continue as skipper.

Rana’s promotion from vice-captaincy was framed by the federation as recognition of her domestic form over recent years. Her progress at the international level began at the 2022 Asian Games, when her late raids helped India beat Chinese Taipei 26-25 to claim the gold medal, erasing a 19-21 deficit in the final minutes. Those performances at the continental level were cited alongside her senior national record when the selection was made.

The 28-year-old leads the Himachal Pradesh state team and has guided them to three consecutive gold medals in the Nationals. She has combined raiding responsibility with leadership duties in senior nationals, a dual role that factored in the selection process.

Rana’s captaincy credentials were also noted from the Yuva Kabaddi Series in 2024, where she led the Himalayan Tahrs. In that tournament she recorded 278 raid points, including 55 bonus points, and posted a 96% raid strike rate.

Observers point to technical strengths in her game: she scores frequently from bonus situations and uses her height and hand touches to convert raids. The coaching staff and selectors have referenced her ability to produce match-winning raids as well as coordinate with the defence when required.

Four of the 12 players named in the announced squad are from Himachal Pradesh, including Rana, Ritu Negi, Jyoti Thakur and Bhavna Thakur. Selection of multiple players from a single state was highlighted in coverage of the squad list.

The team will aim to retain the gold medal at the Asian Games in Japan; the announcement noted that India will start as favourites for the tournament.