Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 16 (ANI): Ahead of the Asian Games 2026, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar spoke at how Team India has "set the benchmark" in the continent's cricket and the squad has enough depth and quality to bring home the gold medal after a successful title defence.
Harmanpreet Kaur-led women’s team and Shreyas Iyer-led men’s team aim to defend India’s historic double gold at the Asian Games, with cricketing action starting with women's cricket from September 18.
The men’s team will be led by Shreyas Iyer and features a formidable combination of established international stars and exciting young talent. Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are among the prominent players set to make their first appearance at the Asian Games as India aims to retain the title.
The women’s team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, features some of the most accomplished names in world cricket, including Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh. Having won the inaugural women’s cricket gold at the previous Asian Games, India will enter the competition looking to extend its dominance on the continental stage. Cricket action begins ahead of the Asian Games opening ceremony, with the women’s competition commencing on September 17, followed by the men’s tournament from September 24. The presence of several of India’s leading international players makes this one of the country’s strongest cricket contingents at the Asian Games.
Sanjay Manjrekar, former India Men’s cricketer:
"India has set the benchmark in Asian cricket over the years, and this squad has everything it takes to continue that legacy. With established stars alongside fearless young talent, the team has the depth and quality to defend its Asian Games gold medal. Cricket at the Asian Games brings a different kind of challenge, and it'll be fascinating to see how this group embraces the responsibility of maintaining India's dominance on the continental stage."
Speaking as per a press release by Sony LIV, the broadcaster, who unveiled the Commentary Panel for cricket at the Asian Games, Sanjay said, "India has set the benchmark in Asian cricket over the years, and this squad has everything it takes to continue that legacy. With established stars alongside fearless young talent, the team has the depth and quality to defend its Asian Games gold medal. Cricket at the Asian Games brings a different kind of challenge, and it'll be fascinating to see how this group embraces the responsibility of maintaining India's dominance on the continental stage."
Former Indian cricket stalwarts Mithali Raj and Anjum Chopra also spoke on how winning in Asia demands consistency, adaptability and how the Asian Games is an opportunity for Indian cricket to showcase their talent and depth.
"Winning consistently in Asia demands adaptability, consistency and the ability to maintain high standards across different conditions—qualities that Indian cricket has displayed time and again. Our women’s team enters the Asian Games as the defending champions, carrying the confidence of sustained success while remaining hungry for another gold medal. Every gold medal matters beyond the sport itself, adding to India’s overall medal tally at the Games and bringing with it an added sense of responsibility as well as motivation. I’m looking forward to analysing how the Indian team approaches this opportunity to further reinforce the country’s position as a leading force in Asian cricket," said Mithali.
Anjum said, "The Asian Games is another opportunity for Indian cricket to showcase the incredible depth of talent that has been built across both the men's and women's game. As defending champions, expectations will naturally be high, but this group has the experience, skill and mindset to thrive on that challenge. It promises to be an exciting campaign as India looks to once again stand atop the podium and strengthen its dominance in Asian cricket.”
The commentary panel for Asian Games cricket:
Women's cricket: Mithali Raj, Anjum Chopra, WV Raman, Reema Malhotra, Maninder Singh, Raman Bhanot, Aneesha Ghosh, Suhail Chandok, Atish Thukral
Men's cricket: Sanjay Manjrekar, Ajay Jadeja, Maninder Singh, Vivek Razdan, Raman Bhanot, WV Raman, Suhail Chandok, Sameer Kochar, Atish Thukral. (ANI)
"Team India has set a benchmark in Asian cricket over the years": Sanjay Manjrekar
