Asian Games Kabaddi: The Leadership Switch and the Real Test Against Japan

On the morning of September 21, the Asian Games kabaddi venue hosts a long day of five men's matches. India's match is the third of the day—scheduled for the afternoon, when the dust from the first two matches has not yet settled. The opponent is Japan. But the real story of this match is not written on the scoreboard; it is written in the Indian team's dugout: Sunil Kumar is captain, Pawan Sehrawat is vice-captain. The man who has been the face of Indian kabaddi for the past few years is now in the second row. The question is therefore not simple: is this a tactical reshuffle, or the expression of suppressed tensions?\n\nI have been covering kabaddi since 2026, from district ledgers in Rangpur to the present—and in all the leadership changes I have witnessed in domestic and international kabaddi, there is often no clear explanation. In 2026, when I was working on the Rangpur youth football archive, I saw the same pattern: captains are changed, but the reasons are not explained. That experience is why I view the Sunil-Pawan switch with a skeptical eye.\n\nMaking a defender like Sunil Kumar captain of a 12-man squad means that the team's defensive chain and tackle rotation are now the head coach's primary concern. In kabaddi, a defender-captain typically calls the tackles, decides who is sent for Do-or-Die raids. Keeping a raider like Pawan as vice-captain may mean reducing his administrative burden and focusing him solely on raiding. This model is logically sound on paper. But the problem is that no one has explained the reason for the change.\n\nI believe that in an event like the Asian Games, a leadership change creates the biggest risk at the first crisis. When the first All Out happens, or when there is hesitation over sending Pawan for a Do-or-Die raid—that is when we will know how solid this captaincy structure is. The match against Japan is therefore a test: the opponent is weak, but if single-point dependence becomes evident even in this match, the picture will be different against a team like Iran.\n\nAs a Bangladesh kabaddi viewer, I know that here a match against Japan means an easy win expectation. But the Asian Games kabaddi venue is in Japan—the host team will have extra preparation and crowd support. In kabaddi there is no significant home advantage in rule terms, but Japan as a team can slow the match with their defensive discipline. If India cannot score raid points quickly, the match could drag.\n\nThe Asian Games kabaddi format has 8 matches in one day—this is pressure for broadcast and spectators. India's match being third gives the team some advantage, as they can enter with the momentum of the first match. But this advantage depends on team depth—which is still unknown. Besides Pawan, who else is a raider in the 12-man squad? There is no information. When I built the Russia World Cup Youth Pipeline Index in 2026, I saw that depth is not just squad numbers, but how many are ready in specific roles.\n\nIndia is the favorite as a team, that must be acknowledged. They enter as defending champions (2026 Asian Games gold medalists). But favorite does not mean unbeatable. In my 2026 research on the Rangpur U-18 crisis, I saw that when a team depends too much on one individual, containing that one player breaks the entire structure. If Pawan Sehrawat scores 10-12 raid points against Japan, there is no problem. But if Japan pressures him and India's second raider does not step up, that will become Iran's main weapon.\n\nI have noticed one thing about Asian Games kabaddi—this event often becomes personality-centric in Indian media. Pawan Sehrawat has become the flag bearer, which is undoubtedly a great honor. But will this honor help the team win matches? The lesson from my 2026 Rangpur ledger forensics is that even if an individual's name is big, team success comes when every role is clear. Here, defense under Sunil Kumar and raiding under Pawan—this split structure can work if they trust each other.\n\nHowever, one thing I can say with certainty: whatever the result against Japan, the real test will be against Iran. Iran is the only team that has beaten India in international kabaddi. In this tournament, Iran is India's real rival, not Japan. But the interesting thing is that mainstream Indian media often omits Iran's name. This omission does not reduce pressure on the team but increases it, because neither spectators nor players are mentally prepared for the Iran match.\n\nWhen I analyzed the Tokyo Olympics football tournament in 2026, I learned something—the opening matches of a tournament sometimes become deceptive. A big win against a weak opponent masks the team's real weaknesses. If India wins by 20 points against Japan, that will not help against Iran. Rather, India's raid distribution, defensive positioning, and timeout usage in the Japan match are more important.\n\nIn the end, this match is a big opportunity for Sunil Kumar. Making a defender captain means the coaching staff trusts him. But this trust must be repaid on the field—correct raider selection in Do-or-Die raids, discipline in tackling, and using Pawan courageously when needed. The Japan match is easy, but if the captaincy structure is not clear even in this easy match, India's gold dream could be shattered against Iran.\n\nMy biggest question is: is this leadership change the beginning of a new era for Indian kabaddi, or is it just a change on paper? The answer will be found on September 21, but the real answer will come later—when Iran arrives.