Yashvir Singh, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist in javelin throw, has been named in India's athletics squad for the upcoming Asian Games in place of injured two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) confirmed on 3 September. The federation announced a 77-member track and field contingent for the Games, scheduled from 19 September to 4 October in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Chopra and Shirse Out of the Squad

Chopra, who had initially been named in the 73-member provisional squad, will not defend the titles he claimed at Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2023 due to injury. Rohit Yadav is the other Indian athlete selected for the men's javelin throw event.

Men's 110m hurdler Tejas Shirse has also been dropped from the squad. Shirse had originally been selected despite sustaining two stress fractures in his left foot during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Six Athletes Added to the Revised Squad

The revised squad has been expanded to 77 members with six fresh inclusions: 200m runner Harita Bhadra, quarter-miler Kiran Pahal, pole vaulter Sindhushree G, triple jumper I Asha Ilango, discus thrower Sanya Yadav, and hammer thrower Praveen Kumar.

Title Defenders and Returning Medallists

India's contingent features 15 returning Asian Games champions and medallists. Four individual gold medallists from Hangzhou 2023 — Avinash Sable, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Parul Chaudhary, and Annu Rani — will have the opportunity to defend their titles in Japan.

Sable, who won gold in the 3000m steeplechase and silver in the 5000m at Hangzhou, returns as one of India's top medal prospects. Tajinderpal Singh Toor will be chasing a hat-trick of Asian Games shot put titles. Parul Chaudhary, who claimed gold in the 5000m and silver in the 3000m steeplechase in Hangzhou, has been entered in three events: the 1500m, 5000m, and 3000m steeplechase.

Jyothi Yarraji, silver medallist in the 100m hurdles at Hangzhou 2023, returns to major international competition. Murali Sreeshankar, who won his second Commonwealth Games silver in the long jump in Glasgow and was also the silver medallist at the previous Asian Games, is included. Other Hangzhou medallists in the squad include Tejaswin Shankar, Gulveer Singh, Mohammed Afsal, Ancy Sojan, Praveen Chithravel, and Vithya Ramraj.

India's Athletics Legacy at Asian Games

Athletics was India's most successful sport at Hangzhou 2023 by total medal count. The contingent returned with 29 medals — 6 gold, 14 silver, and 9 bronze — underlining the depth of Indian track and field. The Aichi-Nagoya edition will test whether that momentum can be sustained without its most decorated javelin thrower.

Full Squad

Men: Gurindervir Singh (100m/Mixed 4x100m Relay), Animesh Kujur (100m/200m/Mixed 4x100m Relay), Vishal T K (400m/4x400m Relay), Rajesh Ramesh (400m/4x400m Relay), Manut S (4x400m Relay/4x400m Mixed Relay), Dharmveer Choudhary (4x400m Relay), Mohammed Ashfaq (4x400m Relay), Jay Kumar (4x400m Relay/4x400m Mixed Relay), Mohammed Afsal P (800m), Krishan Kumar (800m), Yoonus Shah (1500m), Gulveer Singh (1500m/5000m/10000m), Avinash Sable (3000m SC), Yashas P (400m H), Santhosh Tamil Arasan (400m H), Sreeshankar M (Long Jump), Shahnawaz Khan (Long Jump), Praveen Chithravel (Triple Jump), Kartik Unnikrishnan (Triple Jump), Dev Meena (Pole Vault), Kuldeep Kumar (Pole Vault), Sarvesh Anil Kushare (High Jump), Aadarsh Ram (High Jump), Karanveer Singh (Shotput), Tajinder Pal Toor (Shotput), Yashvir Singh (Javelin Throw), Rohit Yadav (Javelin Throw), Damneet Singh (Hammer Throw), Praveen Kumar (Hammer Throw), Tejaswin Shankar (Decathlon), Thowfeeq N (Decathlon), Sawan Barwal (Marathon), Kartik Karkera (Marathon), Pranav Gaurav (Mixed 4x100m Relay).

Women: Harita Bhadra (200m/4x100m Mixed Relay), Unnathi Bollanda (200m/4x100m Mixed Relay), Prachi (400m/4x400m Relay), Kiran Pahal (400m/4x400m Relay), Gowthami Jayaraman (800m), Pooja (800m/1500m), Parul Chaudhary (1500m/3000m SC/5000m), Seema (5000m/10000m), Ankita (3000m SC), Jyothi Yarraji (100m H), Nandhini K (100m H), Vithya Ramraj (400m H/4x400m Relay), Anu R (400m H), Ancy Sojan (Long Jump), Shaili Singh (Long Jump), Lasha Ilangovan (Triple Jump), Niharika Vashisht (Triple Jump), Sindhushree G (Pole Vault), Baranica Elangovan (Pole Vault), Pooja (High Jump), Supriya B (High Jump), Manpreet Kaur (Shotput), Krishna Jayasankar (Shotput), Annu Rani (Javelin Throw), Seema (Discus Throw), Sanya Yadav (Discus Throw), Anushka Yadav (Hammer Throw), Tanya Chaudhary (Hammer Throw), Manju Rani (Full Marathon Racewalk), Priyanka Goswami (Full Marathon Racewalk), Pooja (Heptathlon), Anamika K A (Heptathlon), Sudheeksha Shivankar (4x100m Relay), Sneha S S (4x100m Relay/Mixed 4x100m Relay), Nithya Gandhe (4x100m Relay), Tamanna (4x100m Relay/Mixed 4x100m Relay), Srabani Nanda (4x100m Relay), Abinaya Rajarajan (4x100m Relay), Neeru Pathak (4x400m Relay), Rashdeep Kaur (4x400m Relay/4x400m Mixed Relay), Ansa Babu (4x400m Relay/4x400m Mixed Relay), Poovamma R (4x400m Relay), Saloni Nagar (4x400m Relay).