Tajinderpal Toor replaced as India flag-bearer after delay in receiving official jersey

Asian Games 2026: India's Asian Games campaign has been hit by a last-minute change to its opening ceremony plans, with Tajinderpal Singh Toor replaced as flag-bearer after a delay in receiving his official kit. Pawan Sehrawat will now join Manu Bhaker in leading the Indian contingent.Tajinderpal was named India' ssecond flag bearer alongside Manu Bhaker. (Photo: PTI)Tajinderpal Singh Toor has been replaced as one of India’s flag-bearers for the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony after a delay in receiving his official kit left the shot-putter unable to travel to Nagoya. Kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat has been named his replacement and will now lead the Indian contingent alongside Manu Bhaker.Toor was originally selected alongside double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker for the opening ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. However, the two-time Asian Games champion remains at India’s athletics training base in Tsukuba and told PTI that he cannot attend the ceremony as he is yet to receive his official kit.The development comes just hours before the opening ceremony in Nagoya on Saturday. Sehrawat, who was part of India’s gold-medal winning kabaddi team at the previous Asian Games, will now carry the Indian flag alongside Bhaker when the ceremony gets underway.The opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6pm local time, or 2:30pm IST, at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. For Indian viewers, the ceremony will be broadcast on Sony Sports channels and streamed live on SonyLIV. SEHRAWAT STEPS INSehrawat is one of the most experienced names in Indian kabaddi and now takes on the ceremonial responsibility at short notice. His appointment means Bhaker and Sehrawat will lead India into the official opening of the 20th Asian Games, with the country fielding around 500 athletes across 35 sports.India's sporting campaign has already begun in some disciplines, despite the opening ceremony being held on Saturday. Women's cricket, soft tennis and teqball are among the events that got underway before the formal start of the Games. The ceremony itself comes after a disrupted traditional flag-hoisting event for India and five other contingents on Friday. The ceremony was delayed by more than an hour before eventually going ahead, with organisers citing miscommunication between the Olympic Council of Asia and the local organising committee.TOOR REMAINS IN TSUKUBAToor's absence from the ceremony does not affect his participation in the Games. The shot-putter remains at the University of Tsukuba training base, where the Indian athletics contingent has been preparing for its campaign.The 31-year-old is a two-time Asian Games champion, having won gold at Jakarta 2018 and retained his title at Hangzhou 2023. He will now turn his attention towards his athletics campaign after missing the opportunity to lead India at the opening ceremony.India will be looking to build on its record performance at the 2023 Asian Games, where it won 107 medals, including 28 gold. The country has sent a 503-member athlete contingent to Aichi-Nagoya, with competitors set to take part across 35 sports.- EndsPublished By: Debodinna ChakrabortyPublished On: Sep 19, 2026 06:43 IST