Asian Games 2026: India Women's Kabaddi Team Wins, Concerns Over Men's Defense

On the fourth day of the Asian Games 2026, India's kabaddi teams delivered mixed results. The women's team secured an impressive victory against Iran, while the men's team advanced to the semi-finals by beating Bangladesh, but their defense raised questions. The Indian women's kabaddi team has achieved a significant psychological victory by defeating a strong opponent like Iran. This win is crucial for them, as Iran is the only team that has broken India's women's gold medal dominance at the Asian Games. This victory proves that the Indian women's team can perform under pressure. On the other hand, although the men's team reached the semi-finals by defeating Bangladesh, analysts are not satisfied with their style of play. Bangladesh is a mid-tier team, and India's defense against them has been described as 'shaky'. The team led by Sunil Kumar needs to strengthen their defensive system before facing bigger teams like Iran. The weakness in the Indian men's team's defense could create major problems against a strong team like Iran. Iran's raiders are physically strong and adept at breaking defenses. If India's corner and cover defenders fail to execute tackles in time, Iran's raiders can easily pick up points. The success of the Indian women's team and the weakness of the men's team presents an interesting contrast. Even without a professional league for the women's team, they consistently perform well on big stages like the Asian Games. On the other hand, despite having the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) for men, questions are being raised about their defense. From my years of observing the game, I can say that a team's success in kabaddi depends on its defense. The current state of the Indian men's team suggests they need to work on their tackling timing and positioning. If they fail to stop the opposition during Do-or-Die raids, the risk of an All-Out increases. The Indian men's team needs to reconsider their defensive strategy before facing Iran. Coordination between the corner and cover positions needs to improve, and special attention must be given to protecting the bonus line. Once Iran's raiders cross the bonus line, they can easily pick up points. The Indian women's team's victory proves they are contenders for the gold medal at the Asian Games. On the other hand, the men's team needs to work on their defense. After reaching the semi-finals, their real test will begin against Iran.