How Kohli abstained from eating butter chicken to take his fitness to next level
INDIA SKIPPER Virat Kohli is undoubtedly in the form of his life across all formats of the game. Although Kohli was dismissed for a meager score in the second ODI against England at Cuttack, the maestro played an unforgettable innings in Pune to guide India to a successful run-chase in the opening ODI.
With the 27th ODI ton, the Delhi-lad also equalled legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 17 centuries in the second innings of format. Kohli not only drew praise for his magnificent 122 but also for his immense fitness and stamina, as the viewers saw the 29-year-old push Kedar Jadhav for quick singles and doubles late in the innings.
Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma lavished praise on the elegant batsman and stated that he possessed leadership qualities since his early training days. Sharma revealed that Kohli gave up on butter chicken and the other culinary delights to take his game to the next level. In an interview with cricketnext, Sharma, who was bestowed with dronacharya award last year, divulged,
“Kohli once told me, if I don’t set the benchmark as captain, who else will? Even as the world looks on in wonder, I know the boy behind the man. He used to gorge on butter chicken, rolls and all sorts of fast food. But today, it finds no place in his diet.”
It is learnt that the prolific batsman used to love to gorge on butter chicken, mutton rolls and other fast food. However, such food is no longer part of his calculated healthy diet. Sharma added,
“In fact, he is so particular about his diet, that even when he comes over to my place, he won’t have packaged fruit juices. You either give him fresh juice or you don’t. Carbohydrates are a strict no-no and there are no off days in his routine anymore. See, it is easy to do these things for a short or particular span of time. But to make it a constant routine and life style is what makes me proud. It takes a lot of devotion and focus to restructure your lifestyle to this extent. He has cut down on carbs and doesn’t even have chapatis. It is either grilled or boiled food for him. Even his coffee is without sugar and definitely no packaged fruit juices for him.”
Sharma heaped praise on Kohli for his unparalleled will power and discipline.
“In the last two or three years, he has taken fitness and his eating habits to a different level. He takes it so seriously that he got a gym built in his new house. He has this belief that fitness is very important if you have to succeed in international cricket. And his only goal in life is to keep raising the bar.”
Sharma concluded,
“Talent was never a problem with Kohli, but then, the effect of the gruelling fitness regime is that he has more stamina and can keep picking the singles and doubles and turn the singles into doubles. He doesn’t tire down and hence the need to play risky shots go out of the equation. Whatever be his work schedule or travel scene, he always finds time to hit the gym.”
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