PV Sindhu's sweet birthday wish for former coach and ‘big brother' Park Tae Sang: ‘Please eat some sugar today…'
Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu sent a cheeky yet adorable birthday wish to former coach, Korea's Park Tae Sang, who mentored the shuttler during her memorable run to bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics among other achievements.
'Six years in India, four years coaching me — you didn't just become my coach, you became my big brother,' Sindhu said in a social media post as coach Park turned 46. 'Thank you for leaving your family behind to guide me. I'll always be so grateful.'
The highlight of the Sindhu-Park partnership was of course the bronze in Tokyo, which was her second Olympic Games medal. It was a bittersweet one, however, as Sindhu had to pick herself up after a heartbreaking defeat in the semifinals, to then get ready for a match that is never easy to play: the one to avoid finishing fourth. Sindhu defeated He Bingjiao to ensure she finished on the podium and coach Park's reactions at the end of that match is part of Indian badminton's folklore now.
Happy Birthday, Coach Parkkkkkkk! ❤️
Six years in India, four years coaching me — you didn't just become my coach, you became my big brother. Thank you for leaving your family behind to guide me. I'll always be so grateful.
I hope the five titles, Commonwealth gold, and Olympic… pic.twitter.com/s76DoCpX4C
— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) June 20, 2025
Sindhu added: 'I hope the five titles, Commonwealth gold, and Olympic bronze made it all worth it — haha! Wishing you a day full of everything you love — golf, glowing skin, and a little Indian masala too! Please eat some sugar today… you won't gain any weight, I promise!
Her visit to Guwahati for a national camp earlier this year – where coach Park now works at the National Centre of Excellence – also gave Sindhu a chance to catch up with him. Sindhu had a successful stint with the Korean coach, who earned something of a cult status among Indian badminton followers for his endearing demeanor. The two got along well off the court too. Once, coach Park posted a story on Instagram, 'Sindhu, you are two minutes late.' The next day, Sindhu got to the practice courts earlier and posted a photo of him holding his hands up. 'You're late now, Coach.'
'I really miss him,' Sindhu told The Indian Express during an interview. 'It was sad to say goodbye when I left. It was nice to see him after a long time. We exchange messages now and then, and he was very happy to see me. We spent some time together. He's very sweet and a nice person. I've personally known him for a long time, even before he was my coach. I've known him since I was a junior.'
After she moved on from coach Park, Sindhu had worked with a few coaches – including the legendary Prakash Padukone to help her for Paris 2024 – but at the start of this year, she finally seems to have found a stability again. Former Indonesia men's singles coach Irwansyah is now in Sindhu's corner as she tries to climb her way back up the world rankings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
27 minutes ago
- India.com
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill Create History After 8 Years With Twin Tons On Day 1 Vs England At Headingley
In a defining statement of India's generational shift in red-ball cricket, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill carved their names into the history books with sublime centuries on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley. Double Ton After 8 Years Marking a rare feat last achieved by Indian batters in 2016, the duo became the first Indian pair in eight years to score hundreds on the opening day of a Test match. Their landmark partnership powered India to a dominant 359/3 at stumps, firmly placing the visitors in command of the series opener. The 100-run partnership between them not only frustrated England's bowlers but also reminded spectators of the calm dominance India once enjoyed under Kohli's leadership, now being redefined by a younger, fearless generation. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were the first pair to achieve the landmark. Against South Africa in Bloemfontein in 2001, Sachin made 155 runs, while batting at number six, Sehwag smacked 105. 16 years later, the pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara achieved the same feat against Sri Lanka. Jaiswal and Gill became the third Indian pair. IND Vs ENG Day 1 Highlights India ended Day 1 in commanding fashion at 359/3 at stumps, fueled by centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) and Shubman Gill (127)*, plus a supportive 65* from Rishabh Pant. Headingley's surface played true after the toss, vindicating England's decision to bowl first, though the pitch is expected to wear slightly on Day 2, potentially aiding spinners later in the match. Who Takes the Lead on Day 2 India's top order has held strong, and with Gill and Pant at the crease, India could extend their lead early. England's new-ball bowlers, particularly Brydon Carse, Chris Woakes, and Shoaib Bashir, must find early breakthroughs, while India's openers must stay cautious and build further dominance.
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: Shubman Gill, Jonny Bairstow's heated sledging war resurfaces
Shubman Gill of India (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) NEW DELHI: As Shubman Gill marked his captaincy debut with a brilliant unbeaten century at Headingley on Friday, an old verbal exchange between him and England's Jonny Bairstow resurfaced online, going viral across cricket circles. The clip, originally from the final Test of the 2024 India-England series in Dharamshala, captures the two batters engaging in a light-hearted yet sharp sledging battle. The moment unfolded after Gill had scored a fine century but was soon dismissed by James Anderson. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Reportedly, Gill had earlier told Anderson, who had just become the first pacer to take 700 Test wickets, that he should retire. When Bairstow came out to bat in England's second innings, he decided to revisit the conversation. Bairstow: "What did you say to Jimmy about him retiring?" Gill: "I told him he should retire." Bairstow: "And then he got you out next ball?" Gill: "So what? He can get me out after my 100." Bairstow: "100 percent." Gill: "How many hundreds do you have this series?" Bairstow: "How many have you scored, full stop?" Watch: Though the exchange ended with smirks, the scoreboard soon tilted India's way. Bairstow was dismissed just four balls later by Kuldeep Yadav, and India won the match by an innings to seal the series 4-1. Poll Who do you think performed better in the sledging exchange: Shubman Gill or Jonny Bairstow? Shubman Gill Jonny Bairstow Both were equally entertaining Neither, it was just banter Now, months later, Gill has led from the front in his first innings as India's Test captain, scoring a commanding 127 not out against England in the series opener at Headingley. Yashasvi Jaiswal credits Shubman Gill after maiden Test ton in England: 'I love it' With Jaiswal's 101 and Pant's unbeaten 65, India finished Day 1 on 359/3, firmly in control. The resurfaced sledging video has added another layer of drama to the new series. While England, without Bairstow, look to regroup, Shubman Gill's performance, both with the bat and as leader, signals a confident new era for Indian Test cricket. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
India Today
40 minutes ago
- India Today
ENG vs IND: Sanjay Manjrekar makes U-turn on captain Shubman Gill after Leeds show
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has admitted he was initially against the appointment of Shubman Gill as India's Test captain, preferring Jasprit Bumrah instead. However, after Gill's composed and commanding century on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley, Manjrekar acknowledged the 25-year-old's remarkable temperament and evolving recently confirmed that he was in the running for the leadership but opted out with a special request to the BCCI, explaining that his body-still recovering from a serious back injury sustained during the Australia tour—would not allow him to play five consecutive me go right back to when he was made captain - I was against it, to be honest. I felt Jasprit Bumrah would have been the better and more logical choice, without thinking too far ahead into the future. I did not think it was the right decision at the time. But was Shubman Gill going to be a failure as captain? No," Manjrekar said while speaking on Match Centre Live after stumps. The former India opener was particularly impressed with Gill's technical compactness, which he felt played a crucial role in the knock."Temperamentally, we knew he would not carry the anxiety of captaincy into his batting - that was always clear. The only concern was that he was still evolving, especially in overseas conditions. But today, he addressed key technical areas that had previously stopped him from getting a big overseas hundred. Yes, the pitch was good and the bowling wasn't too challenging, but once those technical flaws were ironed out, everything else - especially his temperament - stood out as a strength."advertisementGill's unbeaten 127 off 175 balls marked a memorable start to his captaincy tenure. He became only the fifth Indian to score a century on his Test captaincy debut, joining an elite list that includes Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Virat stylish right-hander walked out to bat in the second session after a solid platform was laid by Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul. Gill wasted no time settling in, dispatching loose deliveries from an England attack featuring Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, and Ben Stokes. He forged a vital 129-run stand with Jaiswal, who notched up his fifth Test ton before being bowled by Stokes early in the final India at a potential turning point following Jaiswal's dismissal, Gill took charge. Blending caution with aggression, he brought up his maiden century in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries off 140 balls, reaching the milestone with a boundary off Tongue. The skipper celebrated in trademark fashion—bowing to the dressing room as the Headingley crowd applauded a truly commanding finished the day in a dominant position at 359 for 3, with Rishabh Pant unbeaten on 65, providing solid support to his captain. You May Also Like
