Pawan Sehrawat replaces Tajinderpal Singh Toor as India’s flag-bearer for Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony

Pawan Sehrawat (centre) was a part of the gold-winning Indian men’s kabaddi team in the previous Asiad. | Photo Credit: AFP

Seasoned kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat replaced Tajinderpal Singh Toor as India’s flag-bearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony here on Saturday as the celebrated shot-putter has not yet received his official kit, which will prevent him from attending the gala event.

Toor was to join shooting ace Manu Bhaker in leading the national contingent during the ceremony. The 30-year-old Sehrawat, who was a part of the gold-winning Indian men’s kabaddi team in the previous Asiad, will now take Toor’s place in the ceremony, chef-de-mission Sahdev Yadav told PTI.

“I am told that my kit will reach at 3pm at the (Nagoya) airport. Reaching the opening ceremony venue after collecting my kit from airport on time will be very difficult. So, I have told IOA (Indian Olympic Association) that I am not coming for opening ceremony,” Toor told PTI.

“My kit is lying in India. Nobody in the athletics team has got their kits so far,” he revealed.

The athletics team has been training at the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo since September 13 as part of an acclimatisation camp and is scheduled to reach Nagoya on September 21, two days before the start of athletics events.

Toor said had he known about his role at the opening ceremony earlier than Friday, he could have tried to ensure that he got the kit on time.

“IOA told me yesterday about me becoming flag-bearer. Otherwise my coach who reached here yesterday could have picked it (the kit) up for me,” he said.