With a satisfactory show in the Commonwealth Games behind them, the Indian contingent will be looking to take one step ahead as the much anticipated Asian Games 2014 kicks off in Incheon, China.

Last time India participated in the games, they won 14 gold medals which were held in Guangzhou four years ago. That was India’s best show of medals tally and will look to add more medals this time around with the list of athletes already gone through some chopping before arriving on the Chinese shores.

The Indian contingent consists of 516 athletes and 163 coaches and support staff who will participate in a total of 28 disciplines as against 35 last time around. So who are the athletes which can get the glory days to the nation? Can India win 20 gold medals this time around?

These athletes are our pride and the hopes are pinned on them. Who are they?

Yogeshwar Dutt (Wrestling):

One of the star names to be listed in the Indian contingent, Yogeshwar Dutt remains India’s best bet to win gold at the Incheon Asian Games 2014. After Sushil Kumar’s unavailability, Yogeshwar will look to end India’s 28-year wait for a wrestling gold, which was last won in 1986 by Kartar Singh. Dutt will wrestle in the 65kg freestyle.

PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap (badminton):

After a historic bronze at the World Championships, Hyderabadi PV Sindhu will be looking to make amends and land India a medal. Saina Nehwal will be India’s best bet for a gold and so will P Kashyap, who will be making his mark in the men’s singles category.

Gagan Narang (shooting):

After bagging a silver and a bronze medal in 50-metre Rifle Prone and 50-metre Rifle 3 Position at the Commonwealth Games, ace shooter Gagan Narang will look to switch gears at the Asian Games with atleast a gold medal!

Preeja Sreedharan (athletics):

India have not produced a PT Usha in recent years but Preeja Sreedharan could make a mark in the relay events. After her gold medal win in Guangzhou four years ago in the 10000m event, Preeja can surely not be discounted this time around as well. At this year’s Asian Games, Preeja will be participating in the 5000m as well.

MC Marykom (boxing):

After raking in the vanilla points with a Bollywood biopic, boxer MC Marykom is all set to roar at the Asian Games 2014 after the frustration of failing to qualify for Glasgow CWG.

Deepika Kumari (archery): Indian archery has performed well over the years and that’s because of former world number one, Deepika Kumari. After having missed out on a bronze medal in Guangzhou four years ago, Deepika will be looking to make amends of the loss at the Asian Games in Incheon.

Indian hockey team:

The Indian hockey team has not performed well recently, with a poor show at the CWG as well. But Aussie coach Terry Walsh has taken a mixture of youth and experienced players to the Asian Games with skipper Sardar Singh leading from the front.

With the Asian Games all set to go in motion, every Indian fan will be inching to see their favourite athlete perform at the highest and earn a gold medal of the utmost honour!

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The Commonwealth Games will officially commence from today with the opening ceremony ending in a grandeur manner at Celtic Park.

The Delhi 2010 Games saw India achieve an unprecedented success which in due respect, will be hard to replicate this time around. But with a 215-strong Indian contingent around, India surely sees a top-five finish in the 20th Commonwealth Games with the likes of England and Australia going for glory.

India finished second behind Australia with a record 101-medal haul in New Delhi in a Games marred by corruption scandals and construction delays but praised for the stunning success in terms of delivery of the event and performance by the athletes. India, which has sent 215 athletes in 14 sports, its largest ever after2010 Delhi CWG, will be hit hard by the scrapping of archery and tennis from Glasgow Games and the reduction in the number of medal events in shooting and wrestling.

The country had won a combined 12 medals from archery and tennis in 2010 while bagging 14 medals from the 18 events dropped this time from shooting. Greco-Roman category in wrestling, from which India won eight medals in 2010, has also been done away with in Glasgow.

With several of the shooters, who had given 30 medals in 2010, also are not at their peak thus India’s medal tally is expected to reduce drastically from the 101 in 2010 and anything above 60 can be considered a great achievement.

Finishing second in Glasgow ahead of England, whose athletes are competing under near home-like conditions, is unlikely for India. England will also be hurt less than India on account of scrapping of archery and tennis and pruning down of the number of events in shooting and wrestling. Moreover, they did not send many of their top athletes in 2010 because of the 2012 London Olympics.

India, which has more than half of the total two billion population of the Commonwealth countries, has returned with nearly 30 medal winners of the last Games with the likes of Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Vijender Singh, Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Krishna Poonia, Ashish Kumar, Achanta Sharath Kamal set to prove their mettle once again.

With a tough competition expected from other countries, India can surely deliver atleast a 3rd spot at the Games but not before giving a tough fight!

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After an unprecedented success achieved in the last edition (2010), it would be hard to replicate this time after the dropping of a few disciplines but the Indian contingent are upbeat after getting back in the Olympic fold.

With a 215-strong Indian contingent leading the front, a top-five finish in the 20th Commonwealth Games which starts today, beckons. So who could land the coveted medal for the country? We take a look at these stars who could clinch the all important glory for the India at the CWG 2014 in Glasgow:

Abhinav Bindra:
India’s only individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra will be leading the shooters’ charge in Glasgow. Bindra is amongst the top-ranked shooters in the world and his experience could prove vital for India to clinch a medal the CWG.

Indian hockey team:
Even though they had a disappointing Hockey World Cup in Holland recently, the Indian hockey side will be looking to bring smiles back as they aim for gold this time. Led by the influential Sardar Singh, the Indian hockey team might meet the Aussies in the final who had thrashed them 8-0 back then in 2010.

PV Sindhu:
With Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal pulling out of the CWG recently, all hopes are pinned on shuttler PV Sindhu to make the cut in Glasgow. The youngster showed her worth as the next big sensation in Indian badminton when she won the bronze medal at the World Championship in China and also clinched two Grand Prix Gold – Malaysia and Macau last year.

Amit Kumar Dahiya:
One of the youngest wrestler in the Indian delegation, Amit Kumar Dahiya was a silver medalist at the 2013 World Wrestling Championships and could be one of the medal hopefuls in the Commonwealth Games.

Sushil Kumar:
Winning a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Sushil Kumar took a giant leap forward by clinching a silver in the 66 kg Free Style Wrestling category at the 2012 London Olympics. He remains India’s best bet of landing a gold medal as far as Wrestling category is concerned.

Vijay Kumar:
During the 2010 Commonwealth Games, shooter Vijay Kumar won three gold medals and a silver but the big moment came when landed a silver at the 2012 London Olympics.

Vijender Singh:
Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh is another medal hopeful as he leads the Indian boxing contingent in Glasgow.

Krishna Poonia:
Discus-thrower Krishna Poonia was the first Indian woman athlete to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games back in 2010 and could repeat the feat.

Parupalli Kashyap
In the men’s category, shuttler Parupalli Kashyap will lead the line of bidding for a medal at the CWG. Kashyap, who had finished with a bronze at the Delhi Commonwealth Games four years ago, will be aiming for a straight gold this time around.

Yogeshwar Dutt:
During the Delhi 2010 CWG, Yogeshwar defied the odds by winning a gold for India. Two years later, he won a bronze medal in the freestyle 60 kg category at the 2012 London Olympics. A medal can be expected from the Haryana-born wrestler.

Indian squash contingent:
The Indian squash team will be spearheaded by ace squash players, Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal, who are seeded fourth and sixth respectively in the singles.

So with the above hopefuls ready to make the tricolour proud, let’s hope that they do our country proud. And most importantly, our support is compulsory without whom these stars won’t be able to succeed.

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So If the Indian contingent had hoped for a gold medal from their badminton ace Saina Nehwal in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, well, rue yourselves as the defending has pulled out of mega event after failing to recover from leg blisters sustained during the Australian Open Super Series triumph last month.

What a blow! With her presence, India were confident of landing a gold medal but now that she has pulled out, hopes will be pinned on the likes of PV Sindhu, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa.

The Olympic bronze medallist, who is believed to be suffering from a knee injury as well, has taken the decision of withdrawing from the Glasgow Games in order to get fit for the rest of the season which includes important tournaments like the World Championship and the Asian Games. But will this be a bold move for Saina? Will it help her keep fit for the future events? How badly will India miss her at the Games?

Currently world number seven, Saina had defeated Wong Mew Choo of Malaysia in a thrilling final during the 2010 Commonwealth Games to bag a gold medal.

Without her, the Indian badminton contingent might fall flat. In the previous games at Delhi, India had won four medals. Besides Saina’s gold in women’s singles, the pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won the yellow metal in women’s doubles; Parupalli Kashyap earned a bronze in men’s singles, while the hosts settled for silver in the team event.

This time around, India does have a chance of grabbing a medal or too at the CWG but Saina’s absence might land a ‘killer blow’. Saina’s withdrawal is a big blow to India as the shuttlers were hoping to win at least five medals this time around, with P V Sindhu in women’s singles and K Srikanth in men’s singles also having bright chances of a podium finish.

“I know I am a favourite at Commonwealth Games. I am the defending champion but I still have to play and give my 100 percent to win the title. In sports, it is difficult.” the 24-year-old was quoted in a news report.

In all fairness, even though India will miss the services of Saina at the CWG; we pray that the 24-year old Hyderabadi gets well soon and starts hurling those shuttle cocks again!

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