Teen Archers Kirti, Kumkum Lead India’s Asiad Squad As Big Names Miss Out

India’s archery squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan , saw a dramatic shake-up as teenagers Kirti Sharma and Kumkum Mohod emerged as standout performers, while several seasoned stars, including Deepika Kumari , Atanu Das , and Abhishek Verma , failed to make the cut after intense selection trials.

The three-day trials, held at the SAI centre in Sonepat under windy conditions, tested the archers’ consistency and mental strength. The final squad reflects a clear shift towards youth, especially in the recurve division, where emerging talent outperformed established names.

In the women’s recurve section , 19-year-old Kirti Sharma topped the standings with 13.5 points , delivering a breakthrough performance. She was closely followed by Maharashtra’s Kumkum Mohod, who also impressed with her consistency across rounds. Olympian Ankita Bhakat secured the third and final berth after a tense shoot-off victory over Deepika Kumari, with both archers tied on points after three rounds.

The omission of Deepika Kumari was the biggest talking point of the trials. A four-time Olympian and one of India’s most decorated archers, Deepika will miss a second consecutive Asian Games after also being absent from the 2022 Hangzhou edition. Despite her exclusion from the Asian Games squad, she has retained her place in the Indian team for the World Cup circuit , where India is allowed to field four archers compared to three for the Asian Games.

Kirti Sharma’s rise has been particularly remarkable. Coming from a modest background in Haryana’s Jind district, she was identified through talent scouting and trained at SAI centres. Her rapid progress has been notable, including international exposure at Asia Cup events earlier this year, where she also contributed to a team bronze medal. She further strengthened her case by defeating experienced archers in elimination rounds during the trials.

In the men’s recurve section , India’s top-ranked archer Dhiraj Bommadevara asserted dominance throughout the competition, finishing first with 15.5 points . He was followed by Neeraj Chauhan and Yashdeep Bhoge, who completed the three-member squad for the Asian Games. Experienced archer Atanu Das narrowly missed qualification by just one point, marking a heartbreaking finish, although he remains part of the World Cup squad.

The compound section witnessed even more surprises. Despite India’s dominant performance in the previous Asian Games where they swept all five gold medals, the current selection saw major changes. Veteran Abhishek Verma , a multiple Asian Games medallist, finished last among the top eight archers, failing to secure a spot. World No. 7 Rishabh Yadav also missed out, finishing fourth in a highly competitive field.

In contrast, Jyothi Surekha Vennam , India’s most experienced compound archer and a proven international performer, remained the lone senior figure in the women’s compound team. She topped the trials with 15.5 points , reinforcing her consistency despite recent fluctuations in form. She will be joined by Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep.

In the men’s compound category, Sahil Jadhav topped the trials, followed by Kushal Dalal and Thirumuru Ganesh Mani Ratnam, who secured the final berth. The selection highlights a clear emphasis on current form over reputation across all categories.

Overall, India’s archery squad for the Asian Games reflects a transition phase , with several young archers breaking through while experienced names miss out. The new-look team will carry high expectations, especially in compound archery, where India has recently been dominant, though challenges remain due to reduced international experience in the squad and coaching changes.