Olympians Gagan Narang, Jitu Rai and teen sensation Mehuli Ghosh failed to make the Indian shooting squad for the upcoming Asian Games, even as a few unheralded faces were picked for the quadrennial extravaganza, starting August 18 in Indonesia.
The 35-year-old London Olympic bronze medallist Gagan had won the silver in men’s 10m air rifle at the 2010 Asian Games. He has won a total of five medals in 2006 and 2010.
Another notable absentee is multiple international medallist Jitu, who opened India account in the 2014 Incheon edition with a gold on the first day of competition.
Though Gagan has been picked for the ISSF World Championships in Korea, where a country can field three shooters, which follows the Asian Games, Jitu has missed the slot for the first Olympic quota event, too, where 60 quota places are on offer.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manu Bhaker will compete in three events ÔÇö 10m air pistol, 25m pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team.
The two member men 10m air rifle team will comprise Ravi Kumar and Deepak Kumar while the 50m rifle three positions team is made up of Sanjeev Rajput and Akhil Sheoran.
In the women 10m air rifle, Apurvi Chandela and Elavenil Valarivan will be seen in action.
Abhishek Verma and Saurabh Chaudhary in the men’s 10m air pistol and Shivam Shukla in men’s 25m rapid fire pistol will look to establish themselves in the continental event. Rising star Anish Bhanwala is the other shooter in rapid fire pistol.
Apurvi Chandela and Ravi Kumar will shoot in the air rifle mixed team, while the duo of Manu Bhaker and Abhishek Verma will take aim at the air pistol mixed team.
The 41-year-old Manavjit Sandhu, in men’s trap, is the senior most player in the squad.
Indian Squad for 2018 Asian Games:
Men’s 50m Rifle Three Positions: Sanjeev Rajput, Akhil Sheoran
Men’s 10m Air Rifle: Ravi Kumar, Deepak Kumar
10m Air Rifle Mixed: Ravi Kumar, Apurvi Chandela
Women’s Three Positions: Anjum Moudgil, Gaayathri N
Women’s 10m Air Rifle: Apurvi Chandela, Elavenil Valarivan
Men’s 10m Air Pistol: Abhishek Verma, Saurabh Chaudhary
Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol: Shivam Shukla, Anish Bhanwala
Men’s 10m Air Pistol Mixed: Abhishek Verma, Manu Bhaker
Women’s 10m Air Pistol: Manu Bhaker, Heena Sidhu
Women’s 25m Pistol: Rahi Sarnobat, Manu Bhaker
Men’s Trap: Lakshay, Manavjit Sandhu
Men’s Skeet: Sheeraz Sheikh, Angadwir Bajwa
Men’s Double Trap: Ankur Mittal, Shradul Vihaan
Men’s Trap Mixed: Lakshay, Shreyasi Singh
Women’s Trap: Shreyasi Singh, Seema Tomar
Women’s Skeet: Ganemat Sekhon, Rashmmi Rathore
Women’s Double Trap: Shreyasi Singh, Varsha Varman
Men’s 300m Standard Rifle: Harjinder Singh, Amit Kumar