Commonwealth Games 2026: Five Indian debutants who could make a medal-winning debut

Indian athletes are gearing up for the much-awaited 2026 Commonwealth Games, set to take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.

India will send a contingent of 125 athletes to compete across 13 sports, including five para sports, at the 10-day multi-sport extravaganza.

The Indian contingent is a healthy blend of experienced campaigners and promising young talents, with the likes of Neeraj Chopra, Mirabai Chanu, and Jaismine Lamboria returning in search of more Commonwealth Games medals.

On the other hand, debutants such as Sarvesh Kushare, Gyaneshwari Yadav, and Preeti Pawar will be aiming to make an immediate impact and win medals in their maiden Commonwealth Games appearance.

Here, The Bridge takes a look at some Indian debutants who could emerge as medal favourites at Glasgow 2026:

Sarvesh Kushare - High Jump

The 31-year-old has been in excellent form over the past year, finishing among the top six at the World Championships and becoming the first Indian to clear the 2.30m mark.

He is currently the joint-best high jumper among Commonwealth nations this year, tied with England's Kimani Jack at 2.31m.

Alongside New Zealand's Hamish Kerr, the pair are expected to be among the favourites for the podium in Glasgow. However, if Sarvesh produces his best performance, he could even challenge for the gold medal.

Preeti Pawar - Boxing

The Paris Olympian and reigning Asian champion will make her Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow in the women's 54kg category.

She heads into the competition as the clear favourite for gold, being the only Commonwealth boxer ranked inside the world's top 10 in the latest World Boxing rankings.

Her biggest challenge is expected to come from England's Lauren Mackie, who is ranked 19th in the world and won a bronze medal on the World Cup circuit this year.

Gyaneshwari Yadav - Weightlifting

Gyaneshwari Yadav is widely regarded as the next big star in Indian weightlifting, and she has backed that reputation with a series of medal-winning performances over the past couple of years.

Most recently, she won bronze at the Asian Championships before claiming gold at the Universal Weightlifting Cup with a personal-best total of 194kg.

She currently tops the Commonwealth rankings in the women's 53kg category with 194kg, ahead of Nigeria's Didih Onome, who has a best of 192kg this year.

However, Onome lifted 197kg to win the Commonwealth Championships title last year, setting up what could be one of the most exciting gold medal battles in Glasgow.

Sakshi Chaudhary - Boxing

Sakshi earned her place in the Indian team after an impressive campaign at the selection trials, where she defeated former world champions Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi Hooda.

The Commonwealth Games will be her first major international tournament since last year's World Championships, and she will compete in the 51kg weight category.

She will enter the competition as one of the favourites for the title, alongside Northern Ireland's Caitlin Fryers.

Raja Muthupandi - Weightlifting

Raja is another promising Indian weightlifter who crossed the 300kg mark for the first time this year in the men's 65kg category, setting a new national record of 302kg.

He improved on his previous best of 296kg, which he registered while winning silver at last year's Commonwealth Championship behind Malaysia's Muhamad Aznil Bidin.

Aznil also crossed the 300kg mark this year at the Asian Championships in Ahmedabad, setting the stage for an exciting battle for gold in Glasgow.