PV Sindhu – Virat Kohli: Sportspeople often transcend the boundaries of their sports to inspire people. Recently, after winning her first title in two years, PV Sindhu opened up on how a conversation with Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli helped her rebuild her game. The shuttler, who became the first Indian to win the Japan Open, talked about how her meeting with former Team India captain helped in rediscovering her own form.
Sindhu, who has long been the face of badminton in India, cried while standing on the podium following her Japan Open 2026 win over crowd favourite Akane Yamaguchi in two games. While she did not reveal what Kohli exactly said to her but recalled how he asked the shuttler not to chase silverware but to focus on finding joy in playing.
PV Sindhu’s meeting with Virat Kohli changes career trajectory
PV Sindhu revealed how her meeting with Virat Kohli helped her register a strong comeback. Suffering a title drought since 2024, the 31-year-old recalled how meeting with Kohli during one of the lowest phases in her professional career, with injuries setback was a game-changer for her.
Sindhu recalled sending a message to Kohli, which he replied to within minutes, and then the two legendary players met with each other the following day. Accompanied by her husband, Venkata Datta Sai, Sindhu talked to Kohli for hours. She said, “What we spoke about will always stay between us. But I’ll always be grateful that when I needed someone, he (Virat Kohli) 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.”
For any sportsperson, the start of their journey is to play for joy and not to win. Kohli, in his message to Sindhu, asked the shuttler to find that joy of playing once again. She admitted, “The biggest thing I took away was the importance of finding your joy again. 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.”
Japan Open 2026: PV Sindhu wins first title in two years
PV Sindhu ended a two-year title drought when she became the first Indian to win the Japan Open. The win against local favourite and World No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi did not come easy for Sindhu. The Indian shuttler won both her games 21 to 17. Having met each other quite a few times over their careers, it was Yamaguchi who entered the clash on Sunday with a favourable head-to-head record in recent times.
However, Sindhu put up a fantastic performance to showcase true dominance in the final and trumped Yamaguchi in the final. At the age of 31, Sindhu became the oldest woman to lift a Super 750 title.Â
