PV Sindhu is just 25 years old but has quickly become India’s greatest hope in badminton, a face that every badminton fan, Indian and international fan, recognises and appreciates for all the hard work and effort she’s given to the sport.

So when on Monday, the Hyderabad-born star shared a post on Twitter that read in big bold characters “I Retire”, fans got stunned and didn’t know how to react at first.

🙏 pic.twitter.com/W7uw2IvF4S

— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) November 2, 2020

Eventually, when calmness set in, the fans read the rest of the tweet which turned out to be sharing an even bigger message.

The 2016 Olympic silver medallist wrote: 

“I have been thinking about coming clean with my feelings for a while now. I admit I have been struggling to deal with it. It just feels so wrong, you know. That’s why I’m writing today to tell you that I’m done. It’s understandable if you’re shocked or confused but by the time you finish reading this you would have learnt about my point of view, and hopefully, will support it too.”

Bringing in some clarity that the post was actually about the battle against the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, Sindhu continued:

“This pandemic has been an eye opener for me, I could train hard to fight the toughest opponent. I have done it before, I can do it again. But how do I defeat this invisible virus that has the entire world in a fix.”

© Reuters

“It’s been months at home and we still question ourselves everytime we step out. Internalising all this and reading about so many heart-breaking stories has got me to question a lot about myself and this world we live in. Not being able to represent India at the Denmark Open was the last straw.”
“Today, I chose to retire from this current state of unrest. I retire from this negativity, the constant fear, uncertainty. I chose to retire from a complete lack of the unknown. More importantly, I choose to retire from substandard hygiene standards and our lackadaisical attitude towards the virus.”

© Reuters

The shuttler concluded by saying:

“We must not digress, we need to be better prepared.  We must defeat the virus together. The choices we make today will define our future and the future of the next generation. We cannot afford to let them down.”

While PV Sindhu’s attempt to create awareness and a sense of strength amongst the Indian masses was great, the way she did it, by grabbing attention of the audience with a ‘retirement’ clickbait, received mixed reactions:

Itna sasta PR team hire kiya, logo ke 10 min waste karne ke liye.

— The Bong Head (@TheBongHead) November 2, 2020

Had a heart attack. Sending you the bill. Please reimburse with autograph and some tips to be as resilient as you are in the most difficult circumstances.
May we all come clean with how we feel about the lackadaisical hygiene play we are champions at. you're a true corona warrior

— Monica Jasuja (@jasuja) November 2, 2020

NON SENSE !!

it's Completely Confusing, Misguiding, Depressing !!

Absolutely Unwanted at this moment !!

— A J (@99_A_J_99) November 2, 2020

You are a promising sports woman, great talent and potential. Ive been inspired by u on several occasions in the initial phase of your career. One thing you definitely need to retire from is soaps and PRs. Many sports persons have crumbled due to it.Your sport is your identity.🙏

— jp (@zaphnatpaneah) November 2, 2020

Dear #PVSindhu: with apologies from a huge fan.
Such pranks are dangerous for #Mentalhealth issues any day.
They are far more in these pandemic times, can trigger anything with those with mental health problems! #MentalHealthMatters

— Samar (@Samar_Anarya) November 2, 2020

Even the Sports Minister, Kiren Rijiju wasn’t ready for it and tweeted: 

You actually gave a mini shock @Pvsindhu1 but I had unflinching faith in your power of determination. I'm sure you have the strength and stamina to bring many more laurels for India 🇮🇳! https://t.co/D4VIT7Poyv

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) November 2, 2020

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