Virat Kohli’s fire fuels hockey forward Rutuja Pisal’s Olympic dream

Rutuja Pisal doesn’t have to look far for inspiration. For the Indian women’s hockey team player, motivation comes from watching one of India’s most intense competitors - Virat Kohli.

Unlike many athletes who look only to legends from their own sport, Rutuja finds her spark in the fiery energy and unwavering discipline that Virat Kohli brings to the cricket field.

His aggression, his hunger to win, and the way he demands the best from himself every single day have deeply influenced her own approach to hockey.

“I love the aggression that Virat Kohli brings to the game,” Rutuja told Olympics.com. “He plays with so much passion and intensity. When I watch him, it pushes me to give that extra effort in my own sport.”

It was this mindset that Rutuja Pisal carried into the recently concluded FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Hyderabad, where she played a key role in India’s progress in the tournament.

Her relentless running and fearless attitude on the field reflected the same competitive spirit she admires in Virat Kohli.

“What inspires me most is his discipline,” she says. “The way he trains, the way he prepares himself mentally - it shows how much dedication it takes to be the best. That is something I always try to follow.”

She admits that whenever she feels pressure before a big match, she thinks about Kohli’s attitude in crunch situations.

“He never backs down from a challenge,” she says. “That belief, that fire - it motivates me. It reminds me that no matter how tough the moment is, you have to fight.”

Rutuja’s admiration for Kohli has quietly shaped her own sporting journey. And that Kohli-like intensity could well become her greatest strength.

Part of India’s young core under former coach Janneke Schopman, Pisal has steadily made her presence felt in the national setup.

A regular member of the junior Indian women’s hockey team and a frequent name in the senior camp, she also played a crucial role in India’s runner-up finish at the FIH Hockey5s Women’s World Cup, where she struck seven goals.

Her journey, however, has not been without its share of unusual twists. Over time, Rutuja Pisal gradually became Rutaja Pisal due to a passport error - something she now accepts with a smile.

“When I first broke through, I didn’t know much,” she admitted. “I didn’t know what my goals were or how to set them. I just knew I wanted to play at the Olympics.”

That dream continues to drive her.

“Now I understand what I need to do to get there,” she said. “But the ultimate goal remains the same - winning an Olympic gold medal for India.”

Her rise is also a reflection of the growing influence of the Krida Prabodhini Pune, which has quietly become a nursery for women’s hockey in Maharashtra.

In the past seven years alone, several players from this region - many from families involved in sugarcane harvesting - have gone on to represent India.

Among them are Kajal Atpadkar, Vaishnavi Phalke, Swati Jadhav, Bhagyashree Shinde and now Pisal, who has brought pride to her village in Satara.

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