Birmingham 2022: India sends 322-member squad for Commonwealth Games

The squad will look to improve upon its Gold Coast 2018 CWG performance, where it finished third behind traditional powerhouses Australia and England.

Olympic Silver Medallist Wrestler Ravi Dahiya will be one of the medal prospects among others, for India at Birmingham 2022. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) today announced a 322-member Indian squad including 215 athletes and 107 officials and support staff, for the Commonwealth (CWG) Games 2022 scheduled in Birmingham from July 28, 2022.

The squad will look to improve upon its Gold Coast 2018 CWG performance, where it finished third behind traditional powerhouses Australia and England.

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All set: Sports minister Anurag Thakur, IOA acting president Anil Khanna and the Indian contingent for the Commonwealth Games at the kit unveiling and send-off ceremony in New Delhi.

📸: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar pic.twitter.com/6IHNBR54Pf

— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) July 7, 2022

Sharing his thoughts on the official announcement, Mr. Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General, IOA, said, “We are sending one of our strongest squads ever to the CWG and even with a strength sport for us like Shooting not being there, we are confident of bettering our performance from the last edition. Make no mistake. The competition will be world class and fierce but our athletes have prepared well and are fit and raring to go. We wish them all the very best.”

Some prominent names in the squad besides Neeraj Chopra include the likes of Olympic medallists P. V. Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain, Bajrang Punia & Ravi Kumar Dahiya. Defending CWG champions Manika Batra, Vinesh Phogat as well as Hima Das & Amit Panghal. 

Mr. Rajesh Bhandari, Vice President, Boxing Federation of India (BFI), has been appointed the Chef de Mission of the squad.

Team India will compete in 15 sporting disciplines as well as four disciplines in the Para Sports category. Some of the disciplines where India look to perform well include traditionally strong disciplines like Boxing, Badminton, Hockey, Weightlifting, Women’s Cricket (making its debut at the CWG) and Wrestling.

Indian squads in Athletics, Cycling, Swimming and Table Tennis are also strong and primed up for the challenge.

Various members of the squad have already reached Birmingham at various stages over the past few days, depending on their training regimes laid out by their respective coaches. Some members are competing at various global locations and would reach the venue directly while the rest of the contingent will leave from New Delhi.

The CWG village will officially open its doors to contingents on July 23, 2022.