Asia’s No. 1 and World No. 6 trap marksman Zoravar Singh Sandhu has been left out of the proposed Indian shotgun contingent for this year's Asian Games despite the fact that the veteran shooter is one of top shooters in the country and clinched a bronze medal at the prestigious World Championships last year.
Zoravar endured a slump in form during the National Championships and domestic selection trials, events he was compelled to compete in despite a gruelling international calendar featuring the World Championships and World Cup Finals, leaving him unable to hit peak form on the domestic circuit.
Those underwhelming scores in the national trials ultimately cost him a place in the Asian Games-bound squad, even though he was ranked World No. 4 barely a month ago. Zoravar has urged the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) to “review” its decision, pointing out that he has registered the best international scores among Indian trap shooters over the last six months.
The federation, however, has maintained that it will “strictly go by the selection policy put in place a year ago”.
The proposed men's trap team, which NRAI secretary-general Pawankumar Singh said will “99 per cent” remain unchanged, features Kynan Chenai, Ahvar Rizvi and Shapath Bharadwaj for the continental showpiece to be held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.
Zoravar, 47, became only the third Indian trap shooter to win a medal at the World Championships when he clinched bronze in Athens in October last year. He also made the medal round at the World Cup Finals before eventually finishing seventh. More recently, competing as a “zero” shooter at the World Cup in Almaty this month, Zoravar returned the best score by an Indian in the competition with a tally of 119.
“Zero” shooters are essentially fillers whose scores are recorded for selection purposes, with the NRAI making it mandatory for the country's top-10 athletes to have at least two international scores for national team selection. However, a “zero” shooter is not eligible to compete for medals and can participate only for scoring purposes.
Zoravar's international scores stack up strongly against his rivals. He shot 122 at the 2025 World Championships and followed it up with scores of 119 at both the 2025 World Cup Finals and the 2026 World Cup in Almaty. In comparison, Rizvi managed 115 in Almaty in May, while Shapath returned 118 at the same event. Kynan, meanwhile, shot 119 at the Tangier World Cup in March this year.“
The federation should reconsider this selection policy, but whatever decision they take I have to accept. Being Asia No. 1 and currently World No. 6, the federation should consider this achievement,” Zoravar said.
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