India national kabaddi team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see India women's national kabaddi team.

India
AssociationAmateur Kabaddi Federation of India
ConfederationAsian Kabaddi Federation
Head CoachBhaskaran Edachery
CaptainPawan Sehrawat
Most capsAjay Thakur (110)
World Cup
3 (first in 2004)
1st (2004, 2007, 2016)
Asian Games
9 (first in 1990)
1st (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2022)
Asian Championship
9 (first in 1980)
1st (1980, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2017, 2023)
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Cup 3 0 0
Kabaddi World Cup 2 0 0
Circle World Cup 6 1 0
Asian Games 8 0 1
Asian Championship 6 0 0
Asian Indoor Games 0 2 1
Asian Beach Games 2 1 2
Circle Asia Cup 1 2 0
South Asian Games 10 1 0
Dubai Kabaddi Masters 1 0 0
Total 39 7 4
World Cup
2004 India
2007 India
2016 India
Kabaddi World Cup
2019 Malasiya
2025 England
Circle World Cup
2010 India
2011 India
2012 India
2013 India
2014 India
2016 India
2020 Pakistan
Asian Games
1990 Beijing
1994 Hiroshima
1998 Bangkok
2002 Busan
2006 Doha
2010 Guangzhou
2014 Incheon
2022 Hangzhou
2018 Jakarta
Asian Championship
1980 India
1988 India
2000 India
2005 India
2017 Iran
2023 South Korea
Asian Indoor Games
2007 Macau
2009 Hanoi
2013 Incheon
Asian Beach Games
2008 Bali
2014 Phuket
2012 Haiyang
2010 Muscat
2016 Danang
Circle Asia Cup
2012 Pakistan
2010 India
2016 Pakistan
South Asian Games
1985 Dhaka
1987 Calcutta
1989 Islamabad
1993 Dhaka
1995 Madras
1999 Kathmandu
2004 Islamabad
2006 Colombo
2010 Dhaka
2016 Guwahati
2019 Kathmandu–Pokhara
Dubai Kabaddi Masters
2018 Dubai

The India men's national kabaddi team represents India in international men's kabaddi competitions. The team is by far the most successful national kabaddi side of any country, winning gold medals at the Asian Games in 1990 (the first year the sport was contested), 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022, as well as winning all three Kabaddi World Cup events to date. Pawan Sehrawat is the current captain of the team since 2022.[1]

History

1990s

Kabaddi was contested at the Asian Games as a competitive (non-exhibition) sport for the first time in 1990. India beat Bangladesh in the gold medal match for both the 1990 Asian Games and 1994 Asian Games. India lost to Pakistan in the 1993 South Asian Games gold medal match. In the 1998 Asian Games held in Bangkok, the team beat arch rivals Pakistan for the gold medal.[2][3]

2000s

India beat Bangladesh in the gold medal match of the 2002 Asian Games, held in Busan.[4]

India won the inaugural Kabaddi World Cup in 2004, beating Iran by a 55–27 margin. They repeated the feat three years later, beating the Iranians 29–19.[5]

At the 2006 Asian Games, India beat Pakistan 35–23 to win their fifth gold medal at the tournament.[6]

2010s

In the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games, India continued to dominate, winning gold on both occasions.[7][8]

When the Kabaddi World Cup resumed again in 2016 after a nine-year hiatus, India beat Iran for the third final in a row by 38–29.[9]

In 2017, India won the Asian Kabaddi Championship led by raider Ajay Thakur with raider Pardeep Narwal bagging a super 10 beating Pakistan in the final by 36–22.[10]

India won the 2018 Dubai Kabaddi Masters tournament, beating Iran 44–26 in the final.[11][12]

At the 2018 Asian Games, India lost to South Korea 23–24 in the group stages – this was the Indian team's first ever loss in their history at the Asian Games. Despite the loss, India qualified for the semi-finals, but lost 27–18 to Iran, who went on to win the gold.[13][14]

India won the gold at the 2019 South Asian Games led by Deepak Niwas Hooda, beating Sri Lanka in the final by 51–18 with raiders Pawan Sehrawat, Naveen Kumar, Pardeep Narwal .[15][16]

2020s

The Indian team have not played in any tournaments for a long time since December 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, India won the Asian Kabaddi Championship by defeating Iran in the final by 42–32.[17]

Results and fixtures

2025

World Cup

17 March 2025
12:00
  64–22  Italy
WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton
18 March 2025
17:00
  64–64  Scotland
WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton
19 March 2025
15:00
  73–21  Hong Kong China
CBS Arena, Coventry
20 March 2025
15:00
  102–47  Wales
Nechells Wellbeing Centre, Birmingham
Quarter-final 4
21 March 2025
16:45
Hungary  24–69  
Walsall Campus Sports Centre, Walsall
Semi-final 2
22 March 2025
14:30
Wales  37–93  
WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton
Final
23 March 2025
15:30
England  41–44[18]  
WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton

International grounds

Locations of stadiums which have hosted international kabaddi matches in India
Stadium City State Capacity Matches hosted Notes
Indira Gandhi Arena New Delhi Delhi 14,000 Kabaddi World Cup, Pro Kabaddi League, international friendlies One of the largest indoor arenas in India; key venue for international events
Patliputra Sports Complex Patna Bihar 3,500 Pro Kabaddi League, national tournaments Regular Pro Kabaddi League venue; hosted several international fixtures
Gachibowli Indoor Stadium Hyderabad Telangana 4,000 Asian Games training, Pro Kabaddi League Hosted kabaddi training camps and league matches
Balewadi Stadium Pune Maharashtra 11,000 Kabaddi Masters, Pro Kabaddi League Multi-purpose stadium with indoor facilities used for international kabaddi

Tournament history

Standard kabaddi

World Cup

Year Rank M W D L PF PA PD
2004 Champions 5 5 0 0 289 104 +185
2007 Champions 5 5 0 0 276 115 +161
2016 Champions 6 5 0 1 275 150 +125
2025 TBD – – – – – – –
Total 3/4 16 15 0 1 840 369 +471

Asian Games

Year Rank M W D L
1990 Champions 5 5 0 0
1994 Champions 4 4 0 0
1998 Champions 6 6 0 0
2002 Champions 5 5 0 0
2006 Champions 5 5 0 0
2010 Champions 4 4 0 0
2014 Champions 5 5 0 0
2018 Third place 5 3 0 2
2022 Champions 6 6 0 0
Total 9/9 45 43 0 2

Asian Kabaddi Championship

Asian Kabaddi Championship
Year Host country Position
1980 India 1st
1988
2000 Sri Lanka
2001 Thailand
2002 Malaysia
2003 GS
2005 Iran 1st
2017
2023 South Korea

South Asian Games

South Asian Games
Year Host city Position
1985 Dhaka, Bangladesh 1st
1987 Kolkata, India 1st
1989 Islamabad, Pakistan 1st
1993 Dhaka, Bangladesh 2nd
1995 Madras, India 1st
1999 Kathmandu, Nepal 1st
2004 Islamabad, Pakistan 1st
2006 Colombo, Sri Lanka 1st
2010 Dhaka, Bangladesh 1st
2016 Guwahati & Shillong, India 1st
2019 Kathmandu, Pokhara & Janakpur, Nepal 1st

Dubai Kabaddi Masters

Year Rank Pld W D L
2018 Champions 6 6 0 0
Total 1/1 6 6 0 0

World kabaddi

World Cup

Year Rank Pld W D L
2019 Champions 9 9 0 0
2025 Champions 7 6 1 0
Total 2/2 16 15 1 0

Beach kabaddi

World Championship

World Beach Kabaddi Championship
Year Host country Position
2024 Iran DNP

Asian Beach Games

Year Rank Pld W D L
2008 Champions 6 5 1 0
2010 Champions 6 6 0 0
2012 Third place 3 1 0 2
2014 Third place 4 2 0 2
2016 Runners-up 4 2 1 1
Total 5/5 23 16 2 5

South Asian Beach Games

Year Rank Pld W D L
2011 Runners-up 4 2 0 2
Total 1/1 4 2 0 2

Indoor kabaddi

Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games

Year Rank Pld W D L
2007 Champions 7 7 0 0
2009 Champions 5 5 0 0
2013 Champions 6 6 0 0
Participated as Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA)
Total 3/3 18 18 0 0

Circle kabaddi

Circle World Cup

Year Rank Pld W D L
2010 Champions 6 6 0 0
2011 Champions 8 8 0 0
2012 Champions 5 5 0 0
2013 Champions 6 6 0 0
2014 Champions 6 6 0 0
2016 Champions 7 7 0 0
2020 Runners-up 6 5 0 1
Total 7/7 44 43 0 1

Circle Asian Cup

Year Rank Pld W D L
2011 Champions 5 5 0 0
2012 Runners-up 5 4 0 1
2016 Runners-up 5 4 0 1
Total 3/3 15 13 0 2

Honours

World

Asia

South Asia

  • South Asian Games:
    • Gold Medal (10): 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2016, 2019
    • Silver Medal (1): 1993

Current squad

Name
Nitesh Kumar
Divvay Sharma
Pradeep Narwal
Surjeet Singh Narwal
Arjun Deshwal
Aslam Inamdar
Naveen Kumar
Pawan Sehrawat (captain)
Sunil Kumar
Nitin Rawal
Akash Shinde

Players

Captains

List of Indian kabbadi captains

Notable players

References

  1. ^ "IndianKabadii.org". Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  2. ^ "History Of Kabaddi". Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Did you know India won gold in kabaddi in Asian Games since 1990, and all World Cups?". 29 June 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  4. ^ "India historically dominate kabaddi in Asian Games; Iran defending champions ahead of 2022 Hangzhou Games". Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  5. ^ "India men's kabaddi team: Full list of major trophies won by national side". Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Gameplay Kabaddi at the Asian Games 2006". Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Asian Games: India beat Iran to win record 6th kabaddi gold". The Times of India. 26 November 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Kabaddi at Asian Games: Indian men and women rule the roost". Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Favourites India win 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, defeat Iran 38-28 in the final". Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  10. ^ "India thump Pakistan, South Korea to win Asian Kabaddi Championship 2017 titles". 27 November 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  11. ^ "India reign supreme in Kabaddi Masters Dubai 2018, clinch title with easy win over Iran". 30 June 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Kabaddi Masters Dubai 2018: India humble Kenya 48-19, win second consecutive match". 24 June 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Asian Games 2018: India kabaddi team suffer shock defeat to South Korea". 20 August 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  14. ^ Ganesan, Uthra (23 August 2018). "Asian Games 2018: losing to Iran, India fail to reach men's kabaddi final for first time". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Naveen Kumar's Super 10 helps India bag 10th kabaddi gold at South Asian Games". 9 December 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  16. ^ "India continue fine form at South Asian Games". Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023: India beat Iran in final to win title".
  18. ^ https://kabaddiworldcup2025.com/news-releases/day-seven-recap-23rd-march/
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