Draft — image required.
Kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat will be India’s male flagbearer at the 2026 Asian Games opening ceremony after shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor withdrew because his official kit had not reached him in time. Manu Bhaker remains the female flagbearer. The India Asian Games flagbearers change was confirmed on September 19, the day of the ceremony.
The Indian Express reported that the Indian Olympic Association confirmed the last-minute substitution. The Times of India independently reported the same change and identified the delayed ceremonial kit as the reason Toor could not take part.
Why India’s Asian Games flagbearer changed
Toor said his kit was still in India and was expected to reach Nagoya airport at about 3 pm. He concluded that collecting it and reaching the opening ceremony venue on time would be difficult, and informed the IOA that he would not attend.
He also said he was told only on September 18 that he had been selected as a flagbearer. Had the decision been communicated earlier, he said, his coach could have brought the kit when travelling to Japan.
The Indian Express reported that other members of India’s athletics contingent were also waiting for their official kits. The athletes had been training at the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo since September 13 as part of an acclimatisation camp and were due to reach Nagoya on September 21, before track-and-field competition begins.
Pawan Sehrawat steps into ceremonial role
Sehrawat, one of India’s leading kabaddi players, was selected to take Toor’s place alongside shooter Manu Bhaker. The role is ceremonial and does not change either athlete’s competition schedule, but flagbearer selection carries public significance because the pair leads the national delegation during the opening parade.
The updated pairing supersedes the earlier announcement naming Bhaker and Toor. Reports published before the IOA’s September 19 change are now out of date on the identity of the male flagbearer.
Toor remains a medal contender
The withdrawal concerns only the opening ceremony. It does not indicate that Toor has withdrawn from the Asian Games competition. The two-time Asian Games shot put champion remains part of India’s athletics plans and is regarded as an important medal prospect.
The distinction matters because the kit issue could otherwise be misread as a sporting injury or team withdrawal. Reliable reports attribute the ceremony change to logistics and timing, not fitness.
The episode also puts attention on coordination around India’s large travelling contingent. Any further official changes to ceremony duties or competition entries should be checked against IOA or federation announcements rather than earlier schedules.
