The injury has ruled Commonwealth Games silver medalist Rishikanta out of the Asian Games

India’s Rishikanta Singh (PTI Photo) Calcutta: Manipur’s Rishikanta Singh Chanambam, who won the men’s 60kg weightlifting silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has been forced to withdraw from India’s Asian Games squad due to injury.talk to TOI on Wednesday from Manipur, Rishikanta said, “I was already dealing with pain in my left knee during the Commonwealth Games. I really wanted to compete in the Asiad as well because it’s a big competition for me, but I didn’t make it. Later, I consulted a doctor who said I have a muscle imbalance on my left side. Right now I’m focusing on recovery.”Rishikanta was the only male athlete in the Indian weightlifting team for the continental meet to be held in Aichi and Nagoya prefectures in Japan from September 19 to October 4.Apart from Rishikanta, four other athletes Mirabai Chanu (Women’s 49kg), Gyaneshwari Yadav (Women’s 53kg), Seram Nirupama Devi (Women’s 61kg) and Harjinder Kaur (Women’s 69kg) were named in the squad.India fielded a two-member weightlifting team of Mirabai and Bindyarani Devi at the last Asian Games, but neither finished on the podium. Mirabai finished fourth in the 49kg category while Bindyarani was fifth in the 55kg category.Rishikanta will be gutted to miss the Games after his success in Glasgow. After his performance there, he said that if not for the injury, he would have gone for the gold.Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq of Malaysia eventually won the race with a total games record of 273 kg. Rishikanta lifted a total of 264kg. He matched Bin Kasdan’s 121kg in the grab, but could only manage 143kg in the throw, compared to the Malaysian’s 152kg.For now, the 21-year-old is focusing on his recovery and hopes to come back stronger and make up for the opportunity he missed.