Star Indian batter Virat Kohli is in an exceptional run of form in the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup 2023 and has emerged as one of the top-scorers of the tournament scoring 354 runs in five matches.
His hunger for runs has been fuelled by a strict diet which keeps him in optimum shape. A chef at one of the hotels that team India stayed in has opened up on the diet of Virat Kohli that has helped him secure so many runs and keeps him gunning for more.
The executive chef of a hotel revealed that Virat Kohli relies mostly on tofu and soy-based meals for his protein requirements with most players opting for high-protein and low-carb diets during the course of the World Cup. Some players prefer grilled fish and chicken, however, Virat Kohli is a vegan.
Anushman Bali, the executive chef at Leela Palace was quoted by the Times of India as saying, “The buffet has all kinds of meat but the players opt for steamed or grilled chicken or fish.”
“Virat doesn't eat meat and so we went for steamed foods, like vegetarian dim sums, and other vegetable-based proteins, like soya, mock meats, and lean proteins, like tofu for him. We include as little dairy as possible in his meals,” he said.
Anushman further revealed that Australian and New Zealand players usually prefer steamed or sautéed vegetables with steamed fish or chicken for lunch. However, Devon Conway would sometimes go for parathas.
He said, “Many of the teams have stayed with us for the IPL earlier so we know their preferences. The New Zealand team stays away from curries, but there are players such as Devon Conway, for example, who have tried Indian food before and will ask for parathas once in a while. Or dosa for breakfast.”
“We have millet dosas, millet idlis and quinoa idli on the menu. All the players know it's healthy protein, so they all tried it. Ragi dosas were a favourite with the Indian team for breakfast,” he further said.
