Surjeet Singh to captain India at Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship

Surjeet Singh will captain India’s men at the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship, which opens in Ahmedabad on Friday, 23 October, with 13 nations and more than 400 athletes set to compete over nine days at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.

Naveen Kumar has been named vice-captain of the men’s side, while Nidhi Sharma will lead India’s women with Ritu as her deputy. The leadership groups were revealed at a curtain-raiser press conference on Wednesday, 21 October, where organisers also unveiled the official jersey, team captains, anthem, logo and mascot for the event.

The championship, which runs until Saturday, 31 October, is organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) with the approval of the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF). It will crown the first Commonwealth champions in both the men’s and women’s categories.

Surjeet Singh and Nidhi Sharma handed India’s armbands

The captaincy announcement settles the leadership question for the host nation on the eve of the tournament. Surjeet Singh and Naveen Kumar will head the men’s challenge, and Nidhi Sharma and Ritu will do the same for the women, as India look to claim the first titles on offer in both draws.

India are one of 13 nations in the field. The full list of participating countries is:

• India
• Sri Lanka
• Bangladesh
• Nigeria
• Kenya
• Tanzania
• Canada
• Singapore
• Malaysia
• Uganda
• England
• Scotland
• Australia

The spread of the field, from South Asia to Africa, North America, Europe and Oceania, gives the event a genuinely international look for a sport whose strongest roots remain in the subcontinent.

62 matches in nine days, with finals on 31 October

A total of 23 squads will take part across the two categories, playing 62 matches in all: 39 in the men’s competition and 23 in the women’s. The semi-finals in both categories are scheduled for Friday, 30 October, with the finals on Saturday, 31 October.

The championship is being staged under the theme “One Breath. One Raid. One Commonwealth.”

Ahmedabad uses the event to push kabaddi’s Commonwealth Games case

The tournament is expected to boost kabaddi’s international growth and strengthen the sport’s case for possible inclusion in the Commonwealth Games. With Ahmedabad scheduled to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the championship also gives the city a chance to show it can stage international sporting events, and to introduce kabaddi to a wider global audience.

Jitendra Pran Singh Thakur, general secretary of the AKFI, framed the event as a milestone for the Indian game. “It is a proud moment for Indian kabaddi to host the first Commonwealth Championship in Ahmedabad,” he said at the press conference. “We look forward to welcoming the participating teams and showcasing the spirit, skill and competitive intensity of the sport on an international stage.”

Tejasvi Gehlot, general secretary of the IKF, pointed to the bigger picture. “The inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship marks an important step in expanding kabaddi’s international presence,” he said. “Bringing national teams from across the Commonwealth together will give athletes a new platform to showcase their abilities and introduce the sport to a wider global audience.”

Action gets under way at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex on Friday, 23 October. Entry to matches is free, subject to prior online registration through Thumpn, and the championship will be shown live on JioHotstar, with television coverage on Star Sports.