Sakshi Chaudhary credits Virat Kohli after Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow

Sakshi Chaudhary said after returning home from Glasgow that former India cricket captain Virat Kohli played a pivotal role in her Commonwealth Games gold-medal run. The 25-year-old boxer secured the title in the flyweight competition at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Chaudhary, a Havildar in the Indian Army who trains at the Army Sports Institute in Pune, said Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh inspired her to take up boxing and praised Kohli’s support. “I started boxing after watching Vijender Singh, but in my journey, Virat Kohli has also supported me a lot. He has been my sponsor, so I would like to thank him too,” Chaudhary told IANS.

A former two-time youth world champion, Chaudhary moved down from the 54kg category to contest the 51kg flyweight division in Glasgow. She defeated ex-world champions Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi Hooda to earn qualification for the Games and advanced through the draw to the final, where she beat England’s Ruby White to claim her maiden Commonwealth Games gold.

Chaudhary said Kohli’s involvement went beyond financial help, noting he offered tips to handle pressure and stay focussed. The Virat Kohli Foundation provided a three-year sponsorship when she was transitioning from youth to senior ranks, funding her training and competition expenses at a time the article describes as one of scarce resources.

The gold from Chaudhary was part of a larger success for India’s boxing team in Glasgow; the nation finished atop the boxing leaderboard with a total of 10 medals, including seven gold medals. Jaismine Lamboria, Preeti Pawar, Priya Ghanghas, Arundhati Choudhary, Sachin Siwach and Ankush Panghal joined Sakshi Chaudhary in winning gold for India.

Chaudhary’s Glasgow victory followed a period affected by injury, with shoulder and leg problems having kept her out of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Asian Games. With those setbacks behind her, she now shifts her focus to the upcoming Asian Games, where she will aim to replicate her golden form on the continental stage.