Aug. 2: Of the several things that unite the Indian cricket team members, food habits tops the list. Whichever part of the world the team might be touring, partners in crime often get together to hunt for their favourite cuisine. Thus the Delhi trio of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma are always on the look out for the tried and trusted dal-chawal while on tour.
“We have always been close and it’s a matter of coincidence that we also like the same dishes,” said Gambhir. Also among the first things the opener looks out for is a good pizza joint.
Currently in Colombo for the ongoing Test and one-day tri-series, the team have taken a liking to the Indian restaurant at the hotel they are staying at. The cooks here are mainly from India and this gives a closer-to-home feel to the players.
“Most of the players prefer the Indian thali that is served along with special papads. They come down to eat only during lunch time and prefer to ask for room service during dinner,” said a hotel source.
The current team members, both in the Test and ODI sides, are most non-vegetarians. While medium pacer Munaf Patel cannot do without his biryani, Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina all lean towards seafood. The Little Master’s preference for prawns is, in fact, legendary. “As a true Punjabi, I love chicken but at the same time I also like well-cooked seafood,” said Harbhajan.
Unlike Munaf who likes mutton as much as chicken, Raina avoids red meat. “It’s purely from a health point. Fish and chicken are always better,” said the debutant centurion.
Among the seniors, Rahul Dravid likes to try various soups and usually sticks to non-oily food, the secret to his supreme fitness.
It, however, sometimes gets difficult for V.V.S. Laxman, in the Test side, and Praveen Kumar, in the ODI team, as the two are pure vegetarians. Sri Lanka being the country of the coconut, the players naturally drink a good deal of tender coconut water, it also being an excellent re-hydrating agent.
For dessert, skipper M. S. Dhoni leads from the front with his penchant for ice-creams. “I eat what I like but prefer to keep it healthy,” said MSD. “I like the food here, but there is nothing that compares to home-cooked food,” said Murali Vijay.