'Just Show Up': PV Sindhu Recalls Virat Kohli's Advice That Helped Her Bounce Back

New Delhi, Aug 19: PV Sindhu has recounted how Virat Kohli’s simple advice during a challenging period in her career transformed her outlook. The Indian badminton star, currently at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi, recounted her conversation with Kohli on the RCB podcast. As the two-time Olympic medallist, Sindhu recalled that she visited Kohli when she felt life was stagnant.

When asked about her situation, Kohli’s response was succinct: “Just show up, it’s okay, just go out there and just show up,” Sindhu recalled. This advice resonated deeply with Sindhu, who said it helped her shift focus from results to competing. “He asked me to show up, anywhere and for anything, and just play my game. What would happen?

You are not going to lose anything; you know what you are, how you have trained, and show the world who you are,” she explained. The advice, according to Sindhu, completely changed her perspective. Sindhu also revealed that she maintains contact with Kohli and shares her victories with him. “Whenever I win, I just share my happiness, saying that I have won this or that, and recently I met him, so it is always so good to meet, you know, a person who has achieved so much and to get a few of those inputs from him,” she added.

Reflecting on Kohli’s mindset, Sindhu admires his approach to high-pressure situations. “The way he thinks whenever he goes out there, looking at him how he shows up and how he plays and what he is, I think hats off to him for whatever he has done,” she said. Sindhu began her 2026 BWF World Championships campaign confidently, defeating Ireland’s Sophia Noble 21-7, 21-11 in 29 minutes at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, advancing to the Round of 32.