Breaking! Neeraj Chopra will lead India's 37-member athletics squad at the Commonwealth Games

In a major development, Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra will lead India's 37-member athletics squad at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) made the announcement on Thursday. The 37 athletes include other stars like Dutee Chand and Hima Das.

Avinash Sable, who just beat his own national record in the 3000m steeplechase race for the eighth time, is also in the squad. Jyothi Yarraji, who smashed her own national mark twice in the 100m Hurdles last month, is also in the team.

Furthermore, AFI President Adille J Sumariwalla urged that the Indian Olympic Association increase their quota and assist AFI in obtaining accreditation for some athletes who have not proven their fitness.

"We are requesting the Indian Olympic Association to increase our quota by one and to assist in securing accreditation for a couple of athletes. We have also selected a few subject to their proving their fitness and form before the Games," said Sumariwalla, as quoted by Sports Tiger.

"Shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor will have to perform well in Kazakhstan while Amoj Jacob has been selected subject to his recovery and fitness level. Similarly, Discus Throwers Navjeet Kaur Dhillon and Seema Antil Punia as well as Hammer Thrower Sarita Singh will have to perform in Kazakhstan or California. Race walker Bhawna Jat will have to prove her fitness," he added.

Indian athletics squad

Men: Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase); Nitender Rawat (Marathon); M Sreeshankar and Muhammed Anees Yahiya (Long Jump); Abdulla Aboobacker, Praveen Chithravel and Eldhose Paul (Triple Jump); Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Shot Put); Neeraj Chopra, DP Manu and Rohit Yadav (Javelin Throw); Sandeep Kumar and Amit Khatri (Race Walking); Amoj Jacob, Noah Nirmal Tom, Arokia Rajiv, Muhammed Ajmal, Naganathan Pandi and Rajesh Ramesh (4x400m Relay).

Women: S Dhanalakshmi (100m and 4x100m relay); Jyothi Yarraji (100mHurdles); Aishwarya B (Long Jump and Triple Jump) and Ancy Sojan (Long Jump); Manpreet Kaur (Shot Put); Navjeet Kaur Dhillon and Seema Antil Punia (Discus Throw); Annu Rani and Shilpa Rani (Javelin Throw); Manju Bala Singh and Sarita Romit Singh (Hammer Throw); Bhawna Jat and Priyanka Goswami (Race Walking); Hima Das, Dutee Chand, Srabani Nanda, MV Jilna and NS Simi (4x100m relay).