- India changed Asian Games flag-bearer last minute.
- Shot-putter Tajinderpal Toor replaced due to kit delay.
- Kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat now joins Manu Bhaker.
- Toor’s Games participation unaffected, remains at training.
Asian Games 2026: India’s plans for the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony have changed at the last moment, with Tajinderpal Singh Toor replaced as one of the country’s flag-bearers. The shot-putter will miss the ceremony in Nagoya after a delay in receiving his official team kit prevented him from travelling from India’s athletics base in Tsukuba.
Kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat has now been named Toor’s replacement. He will carry the Indian flag alongside double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker at the opening ceremony on Saturday.
The change comes only hours before the ceremony, adding an unexpected twist to India’s preparations for the formal opening of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Pawan Sehrawat To Carry Indian Flag With Manu Bhaker
Toor was originally chosen to lead the Indian contingent alongside Bhaker for the opening ceremony. The two-time Asian Games champion, however, told PTI that he would be unable to attend because he had still not received his official kit.
The 31-year-old remains at the University of Tsukuba, where the Indian athletics contingent is preparing for its events.
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Sehrawat will therefore take over the ceremonial role. The kabaddi star was part of India’s gold medal-winning team at the previous Asian Games and brings his own history of success at the continental event.
Bhaker and Sehrawat will now lead India into the opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Games.
Opening Ceremony Set For Saturday
The opening ceremony will take place at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium on Saturday. It is scheduled to begin at 6pm local time, which is 2:30pm IST.
Indian viewers can watch the ceremony on Sony Sports channels, with live streaming available through SonyLIV.
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The formal opening comes after several sporting events had already begun. India’s campaign in disciplines including women’s cricket, soft tennis and teqball got underway before the ceremony.
The Indian contingent is also coming off a disrupted traditional flag-hoisting event involving India and five other participating contingents. The event was delayed by more than an hour on Friday, with organisers attributing the disruption to miscommunication between the Olympic Council of Asia and the local organising committee.
Toor’s Asian Games Campaign Remains Unaffected
While Toor will miss the opening ceremony, his participation in the Asian Games itself is not affected.
The shot-putter remains at the Tsukuba training base and will continue preparing for his athletics event. He has already established himself as one of India’s most successful performers at the Asian Games.
Toor won gold in the men’s shot put at Jakarta 2018 before successfully defending his title at Hangzhou 2023. His absence from the opening ceremony is therefore a ceremonial change rather than a withdrawal from India’s sporting campaign.
For Sehrawat, meanwhile, the unexpected opportunity adds another milestone to his Asian Games journey.
India Targets Another Strong Asian Games Campaign
India enters the Aichi-Nagoya Games looking to build on its best-ever medal tally at the 2023 Asian Games.
The country won 107 medals in Hangzhou, including 28 gold medals. For the 2026 edition, India has sent a 503-member athlete contingent competing across 35 sports.
With the opening ceremony now approaching, the last-minute change means Sehrawat will share the spotlight with Bhaker as India’s flag-bearer.
Toor, meanwhile, will remain focused on his primary assignment in Japan: defending India’s strong record in the athletics arena.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
