PV Sindhu Pens Emotional Thanks To Virat Kohli: 'I Needed Someone Who Understood'

Last Updated:July 20, 2026, 23:46 IST

PV Sindhu revealed Virat Kohli's advice helped her reshape her mindset during one of the tough phases of her career.

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has revealed how a conversation with Virat Kohli during one of the toughest phases of her career helped reshape her mindset.

The former world champion had suffered a toe ligament injury that forced her to spend three months away from competitive badminton. According to The Indian Express, her husband Venkata Datta Sai and support staff overhauled her training and recovery programme with a greater focus on sports science and workload management. Datta was also inspired by Kohli’s old advice to Sindhu about the ‘joy’ of competing.

After her comeback, Sindhu ended a prolonged title drought by winning the Japan Open Super 750.

“One thing I’ll always be grateful for, though, is Virat bhai," she wrote on X. “I reached out to him at one of the lowest points of my career. Injuries were piling up, the results weren’t coming, and I just needed someone who understood. He replied within minutes, and we met the very next day."

While choosing not to reveal the details of their discussion, Sindhu explained how the interaction left a lasting impact on both her and her husband.

“What we spoke about will always stay between us. But I’ll always be grateful that when I needed someone, he was there. He didn’t say much, but every word stayed with Datta and me. Some conversations change the way you see things. That was one of them."

She added that the biggest lesson she took away from the meeting was simple but transformative.

“The biggest thing I took away was the importance of finding your joy again."

Sindhu also gave fans a glimpse into the extensive recovery methods and sports science-driven approach adopted at home under Datta’s watch, joking about everything from inversion tables and red-light therapy to cryotherapy, recovery boots and breathing drills becoming part of her routine.

The 31-year-old said her motivation has now evolved beyond medals and titles, with her daily training driven by a deeper purpose.

“Today, I know exactly why I wake up for those 5:30 a.m. sessions. And I can honestly say… it isn’t the trophies." It isn’t the wins. It’s something much deeper. And this time, I’ll protect it with everything I have."

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