A good captain remains composed, reads the match flow, and motivates the team under pressure. The two teams touted as the favourites inevitably came knocking on each other’s doors one last time, in a rematch of the tournament opener. Ramji Kashyap leads the squad of men, while Priyanka Ingle serves as captain of the team of of women during the 2025 season. Ashwani Kumar Sharma who has been named the Head Coach on the other hand brings a wealth of experience for the Men’s team, having dedicated over five decades to the sport. His impressive track record includes leading the Indian Men’s team to Gold at the 2019 South Asian Games and securing victory with the Odisha Juggernauts in season 1 of UKK. Recognition for his coaching prowess came earlier when he was named Delhi’s best coach in 2014.

Kerala men and Karnataka women won the 31st Senior South Zone Kho Kho Championship 2025

The balance between attackers and defenders ensures continuous pace and strategic variation throughout the match. A clear understanding of team composition and individual responsibilities is crucial in any competitive format, and Kho Kho is no exception. Every role is defined by specific rules that govern movement, tagging, and strategic coordination.

Kho Kho expands global presence with debut in Singapore.

Alex graduated in mass communication in 2016 and has been covering global sports for Khel Now since then. The 2025 Kho Kho World Cup featured 23 nations, with 20 teams of men and 19 teams of women from across Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas. The coach is a backbone of whole team, as he conducts the regular practice sessions to improve the team’s skills and techniques and the practice has already begun. The Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) promotes and develops the indigenous sport of Kho Kho across India, nurturing talent from grassroots to professional levels. The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup, held at Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi, from January 13th to January 19th, was a landmark moment in the history of Kho Kho and stands as one of our greatest achievements. It had participation from 39 teams from 23 nations across all 6 continents, with over 800 participants.

h Senior National Kho Kho Championship 2025

Their attendance showed the significance of this milestone event in Kho Kho’s journey from a traditional Indian sport to a global phenomenon on its way to being an Olympic Sport. Yes, India has a dedicated Kho Kho team of women, which won the 2025 World Cup with an undefeated record and exceptional overall performance. Their efforts would not put them on top but would yield them benefits as Nepal ran out three batches of defenders to reduce the lead as the scoreboard read at the end of Turn 2. The initial batch of defenders – Suman, Rokeson, and Mehul – would ensure that India started with the upper hand, burning almost 3 minutes off the clock. Nepal though would persist, executing skydives galore to keep the points ticking, chipping away at the lead that the hosts had built.

Despite initial confirmations, some teams such as Canada and Pakistan could not attend due to administrative issues. The format remained consistent with group stages, semi-finals, and a final match to determine the champion. Matches followed a fast-paced seven-a-side format, with turns lasting seven minutes each. India emerged as the top-performing nation across both segments of the competition. With a balanced mix of experience and youth, strong leadership, and a focus on teamwork and fitness, they can aim for a successful campaign and win first Men’s kho-kho world cup title. Key roles include active chasers, who initiate tags and maintain direction, sitting teammates, ready to receive the KHO signal, and defenders, who use agility to avoid contact.

Role of Captains in Leading India to International Recognition

Over the last decade, under the patronage of the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI), the sport has taken a significant leap in terms of its presence both domestically and internationally. Its footprint now extends to over 680 districts across India, is played in schools all over the country, and its global presence is in more than 55 countries across all six continents. Her decision-making under pressure, command over team formations, and consistent on-field presence made her one of the most dependable figures during the tournament. The captaincy of Priyanka not only ensured technical execution but boosted morale, which reflected in the undefeated record of India. Based on versatility, scoring, and defensive capabilities, Ramji Kashyap stands out as the best Kho Kho player in India. His dominance across categories such as total points, dive execution, and defending time places him at the top of the current competitive field.

India were once again the dominant force in Turn 3, never allowing the Nepal defenders to settle in their stride. BK Dipa was a regular for Nepal but it went in vain throughout, ensuring that the Indians edged closer to the trophy. A brisk start marked Turn 1 as the Indian attackers took charge of the proceedings. Three batches in the Nepal women were out by simple touches on 7 occasions, putting 14 points to India’s kitty.

Team India squad for upcoming Kho Kho World Cup 2025 released

The team will be coached by Sumit Bhatia, who is an accomplished Kho Kho coach, with national achievements including multiple medals in the Senior National Championships. While the division of men has been featured prominently in the Ultimate Kho Kho League, the league format of women is still under development. The exceptional performance by the Indian team of women brought nationwide attention, sparking demand for dedicated league events. Jerseys are lightweight, allowing freedom of movement and quick direction shifts, essential to the pace of the sport. Each team follows guidelines for player numbers, placement of logos, and approved colour schemes. Uniforms not only distinguish teams and contribute to discipline and professionalism on the court.

Gender-Specific Formats (Men & Women Teams)

Behind each successful match lies a combination of strategic thinking, coordination, and individual brilliance. The Indian Kho Kho team captain plays a central role in guiding the on-field decisions and maintaining morale of the squad. The India Kho Kho team demonstrated this structure effectively during the 2025 World Cup, maintaining strong coordination and consistent performance throughout. The match format ensures fair play and highlights the physical and tactical demands of the sport at a competitive level. As per KKFI and IKKF, the Team India squads were selected after an intensive training camp at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi from 10 December, 2024.

In Turn 2, Nepal were not able to match Team India’s levels but did prevent the side from going on a single Dream Run. Aditya Ganpule and skipper Pratik Waikar carried the team through this turn, and despite regular touches from Janak Chand and Suraj Pujara, the side carried a lead into the second half of the clash. Suyash Gargate then touched Bharat Sahu to give India a great start with 10 points in just 4 minutes. Sky-dives were the name of the game for the Men in Blue, and this ensured a bright start for the side in Turn 1, preventing the Dream Run for their opponents. At the end of the turn, the scoreline was 26-0 in favor of the Indians — a perfect start for the side.

• Everyone’s eyes are fixed on this team to see how these players will bring glory to the country with their talent and hard work.
• This tournament will be played in Delhi from January 13 – 19 and 20 Men’s & Women’s team around 6 continents will play in this tournament to lift the first ever Kho Kho World cup trophy!
• A complete team includes 15 individuals who are eligible to participate in a match.
• Under his guidance, the team remained unbeaten and showed a structured and confident approach in every stage—from group matches to the final.
• This list of women’s Indian team in Kho-Kho World Cup 2025 is a matter of pride for the countrymen and everyone is expecting a great performance from this team.
• With a balanced mix of experience and youth, strong leadership, and a focus on teamwork and fitness, they can aim for a successful campaign and win first Men’s kho-kho world cup title.

• Ramji Kashyap leads the squad of men, while Priyanka Ingle serves as captain of the team of of women during the 2025 season.
• Understanding the Kho Kho players number is essential to grasp how teams are structured for professional tournaments.
• Chasers must adhere to directional and receding rules, while defenders rely on positioning and timing to avoid being tagged.
• In high-stakes matches like the World Cup final, quick decisions by the captain can directly impact outcomes.
• The format remained consistent with group stages, semi-finals, and a final match to determine the champion.
• Matches followed a fast-paced seven-a-side format, with turns lasting seven minutes each.
• Komal’s speed and Pooja’s skill can prove to be challenging for the opposing teams.

Nepal though would recover a bit of ground on their next go around, with defender Rajan Bal weathering the blistering Indian attackers for around two minutes before they were run all out. Nepal won the toss and opted to defend first, in a similar fashion to the Nepal Women’s team from earlier on in the evening, giving India the chance to strike right out the gate. Pratik Waikar and co. edged out the wily Nepal Men’s team in their initial bout of the tournament with a scoreline of 42-37. Each role is vital, as any movement error or miscommunication can result in a foul, loss India national kho kho squad of scoring opportunities, or defensive lapses. Each participant must perform a role that complements the overall strategy of the team.

Of these, 9 are active at any given moment—7 attackers participate directly in the chase, and 2 are part of the sitting lineup or waiting to rotate. The remaining 3 players serve as substitutes and can be brought in during transitions or when strategic adjustments are needed. The rule structure ensures a balance between physical endurance and technical gameplay throughout each inning. Points earned in each turn are cumulative, and the final score determines the winner. This balance of offence and defence, combined with structured rotations, keeps the game competitive and fast-paced—key traits that defined the excitement during the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 teams list of fixtures.

Kho Kho is played in separate formats for men and women, with rules and team sizes remaining consistent across both. The Indian women Kho Kho team demonstrated the strength of this format during the 2025 World Cup, going undefeated and winning all their matches. Athletes who excel in these capacities stand out through measurable performance indicators—total points, dive efficiency, defensive duration, and tactical decision-making. Figures such as Ramji Kashyap and Priyanka Ingle not only demonstrated superior skill and upheld leadership responsibilities at the highest level. Their presence in the unbeaten run of India highlighted the synergy between strategy, regulation, and individual excellence that defines modern competitive Kho Kho. Understanding the Kho Kho game players arrangement helps clarify how each individual contributes.