It is a known fact that the Chinese have always guarded their secrets closely and they have been known to take it to a whole new level when it comes to badminton.

China has dominated the sport for decades, and Parupalli Kashyap was of the opinion that their secrecy is one of the reasons behind their success.

“The Chinese have always been secretive about their training and I don’t see them opening up anytime soon,” remarked the 26-year-old. “The Malaysians and the others I know are free about such things. But that also is a hassle. I remember training with a guy in Malaysia ahead of the Commonwealth Games and eventually I beat him in the quarterfinals.

“So there were a lot of problems with that. So obviously if you’re a top nation in any sport and people come and train with you and they know how you play.”

Asked if he would be able to pick their brains when interacting with them during the Indian Badminton League, said: “Ten years down the line if we are good as China, we won’t let any Malaysian to train with us. He might learn how you play and eventually you will end up losing to him. That’s why the Chinese are very secretive.”