Asian Games 2026 Day 4: Bhaker, Chanu and Badminton Team Lead India's Medal Charge

Day 4 of the Asian Games 2026 is set to be India’s busiest and most promising day. With the first gold medal already secured, the Indian contingent will look to double its medal count on Wednesday, September 23. The day begins at 5:30 am IST with sepaktakraw, soft tennis and rowing events, but the spotlight will quickly shift to the shooting range. Paris Olympic double medallist Manu Bhaker will open her campaign in the 10m air pistol individual and team events. She will be joined by Esha Singh and Suruchi Singh. India’s rifle shooters have already won five medals at these Games, and the pistol shooters now have a clear benchmark to surpass. In the team event, every shot counts, so consistency across all three shooters will be crucial. The shooting venue will also witness the culmination of the skeet events after two days of qualifying. Indian athletes will compete for team medals as well as individual final berths. Meanwhile, weightlifting legend Mirabai Chanu will compete in the women’s 49kg category, still chasing her first-ever Asian Games medal. A silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, Chanu has won almost everything in her career except an Asian Games medal. Another medal hope is Gyaneshwari Yadav, who won silver on her Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow last month. She will compete in the women’s 53kg category at the Asian Games. Her recent form gives India confidence, though the competition from Chinese and Thai lifters will be stiff. In badminton, the Indian men’s team has already assured a medal for the second consecutive Asian Games by defeating Japan. They now face China in the semi-final for a place in the final. In 2026, India reached the final but lost to China in the gold medal match. This time, they have a chance to settle that score. Squash, rowing and canoe sprint campaigns also begin on Day 4. India will compete in at least eight medal events on Wednesday, with swimming potentially adding three more if qualification goes well. A strong showing across shooting, weightlifting and badminton could see India make a significant jump in the overall medal tally. Historically, India’s Asian Games medal surge comes in the latter half of the tournament, but early success in shooting and weightlifting sets the tone. Day 4 offers India a rare opportunity to add multiple gold medals in a single day. The performances of Bhaker, Chanu and the badminton team will define the day’s outcome. The key question at the end of the day will be how many of the morning’s prospects transform into evening medals. China and Japan have mastered this art of converting potential into podium finishes. India’s challenge is to do the same consistently. If the pistol shooters build on the rifle shooters’ momentum, and the badminton team can overcome China’s deep squad, Day 4 could become the turning point of India’s campaign at the Asian Games 2026.