India's most disappointing performances at the Asian Games 2026

India’s Asian Games campaign ended on a high note with a strong finish over the final two days, as the contingent secured fourth place with 85 medals in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Standout performances from the Indian archers, boxers and male wrestlers helped the team cross the 20-gold mark, making it India’s second-best overall performance in Asian Games history.

However, the disappointing start cannot be ignored, with several medal contenders across multiple sports failing to reach the podium.

Here are some of the performances that fell short of expectations at the Asian Games.

Pistol Shooting

The Indian shooting contingent won 15 medals this time, seven fewer than its haul at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Pistol shooting was one of the main reasons for the decline, with only two medals in Aichi-Nagoya compared to eight in Hangzhou.

Women’s pistol had been one of the most consistent disciplines on the circuit this year, led by double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, along with Suruchi and Esha Singh.

However, their failure to win a team medal and the absence of an individual gold in air pistol left the performance below expectations.

Esha Singh’s hard-fought silver in the 25m pistol and the air pistol mixed team gold won by Suruchi and Kamaljeet provided some late redemption, but much more was expected from the contingent this time.

Men's doubles - Tennis

Tennis proved to be the biggest disappointment for India at these Games, as the seven-member contingent returned without a medal for the first time in 40 years.

In men’s doubles, India fielded two strong pairs: top seeds Anirudh Chandrasekar and Sriram Balaji, along with the in-form Yuki Bhambri and Dhakshineshwar Suresh.

However, neither pair progressed beyond the quarter-finals, a disheartening outcome for fans and India’s first such failure since 1998.

Although the warning signs had been clear on the circuit, with very few deep runs in ATP Masters and Grand Slam events in the years following Rohan Bopanna’s retirement, hopes remained high given the relatively modest standard of men’s tennis in Asia.

Equestrian

The Indian equestrian contingent returned empty-handed this time, making it one of the more surprising results of the Games, as the team had been expected to challenge for at least a medal in dressage.

In the previous edition, India claimed two medals, including team gold led by Anush Agarwalla, who missed selection for these Games following the Equestrian Federation of India’s selection process.

However, the Indian riders struggled to produce competitive scores in Japan, finishing fourth in the team event, while Hriday Chheda placed eighth in the individual competition.

Men's Badminton

The Indian men’s badminton team secured a second consecutive Asian Games medal with a convincing 3-0 win over Japan in the quarter-finals before losing to China in the semi-finals and settling for bronze.

But after that, little went in favour of the Indian men’s shuttlers. Reigning champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty exited in the first round against a Thai pair, despite holding a 2-0 head-to-head record against them.

Lakshya Sen also went out in the round of 32 to Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, marking his second consecutive early exit at a major event following the home World Championships.

Rising star Ayush Shetty could not find his rhythm either, falling in the round of 16 to Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen.

India had won two individual medals at the previous edition, with Satwik-Chirag taking gold and HS Prannoy winning bronze in singles.

With no Indian men’s singles or Men's doubles pair making the quarter-finals this time, the individual campaign was a major disappointment.

Women's Wrestling

Indian women’s wrestling managed only one medal, with their consistent performer Antim Panghal claiming silver, while the other five categories drew a blank.

The discipline has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, securing more than one medal in each of the last three Asian Games editions.

This time, however, the young Indian squad faced a tough challenge, especially with difficult draws and a few close defeats.

They were unable to capitalise even on the second chances offered through the repechage rounds, which will be a disappointment.