Indian pistol and rifle shooters will begin their campaign at the season-opening ISSF World Cup here on Monday, aiming to extend the dominance they displayed last year across global competitions.

The focus has shifted firmly to rifle and pistol disciplines after a disappointing outing at the Shotgun World Cup in Morocco, where the Indian contingent endured a forgettable campaign.

With a blend of experience and emerging talent, the team will look to rediscover its winning rhythm. The squad features Olympians such as Rhythm Sangwan and Anjum Moudgil, alongside seasoned campaigner Mehuli Ghosh.

However, the team will be without double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and world champion Samrat Rana, who have been rested as part of the national federation’s rotation policy.

Under this policy, Bhaker, Suruchi Inder Singh, and Rana are expected to feature in the next World Cup in Munich in May, which is likely to see a full-strength Indian contingent in action.

Despite the absence of a few big names, the squad travelling to Granada carries considerable firepower. Among those in focus will be Sangwan, who has endured a series of near misses on the World Cup circuit over the past two years.

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She finished fourth in the 10m air pistol at the Cairo World Cup in 2024, followed by another fourth-place finish in both the 10m and 25m events at the World Cup Final in Delhi the same year. More recently, she ended fifth at the Ningbo World Cup in 2025, narrowly missing out on a podium spot once again. The 20-year-old will be keen to convert those close finishes into a medal here as she builds her case for selection for the upcoming Asian Games.

In the rifle section, both Moudgil and Ghosh will be eager to bounce back from underwhelming campaigns. Ghosh, a bronze medallist at the 2023 World Championships, came close to podium finishes at the Asian Championships, finishing fourth in the women’s 10m air rifle in Jakarta (2024) and Kazakhstan (2025).

Moudgil, one of the most experienced members of the squad at 32, specialises in the women’s 50m rifle three-positions event. She will look to rediscover her best form after a relatively quiet season, though her bronze medal at the Asian Championships in Delhi earlier this year could serve as a timely boost.

One of the standout stories in the squad is the return of Dhanush Srikanth, the deaf and mute 10m air rifle shooter, who is making a comeback to the World Cup setup after nearly three years.

The 23-year-old last competed at the 2022 World Cup in Baku and has since continued to impress on the international stage. At the 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics, he clinched gold in the men’s 10m air rifle event with a world-record score of 252.2, successfully defending the title he had won in 2022 — a feat that marked a significant milestone for Indian shooting.

The Indian contingent will hope that such performances translate into success in Granada as they look to set the tone for a crucial season ahead.

Squad:

Men:
10m Air Rifle: Gajanan Khandagale, Arshdeep Singh, Dhanush Srikanth
50m Rifle 3-Positions: Niraj Kumar, Akhil Sheoran, Chain Singh
10m Air Pistol: Mukesh Nelavalli, Ujjawal Malik, Pramod
25m Rapid Fire: Vijayveer Sidhu, Neeraj Kumar, Ankur Goel

Women:
10m Air Rifle: Sonam Maskar, Shruti, Mehuli Ghosh
50m Rifle 3-Positions: Ayushi Poddar, Anjum Moudgil, Surabhi Rapole
10m Air Pistol: Palak, Sainyam, Meenu Pathak
25m Pistol: Rhythm Sangwan, Simranpreet Kaur Brar, Divya TS

Mixed Team:
Air Rifle: Gajanan Khandagale/Sonam Maskar; Arshdeep Singh/Shruti
Air Pistol: Mukesh Nelavalli/Palak; Ujjawal Malik/Sainyam