New Delhi: Virat Kohli asked for chilli paneer at lunch on the first day of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Previously, Kohli’s go-to dish was chilli chicken when he preferred non-vegetarian food. However, in 2018, the Indian cricketer adopted a vegan diet to maintain peak fitness while juggling both international and domestic cricket commitments.
Ahead of the match against Railways, Kohli opted to skip chhole poori, as per an official from the Delhi and Districts Association. Instead, he chose to enjoy kadhi chawal with his teammates and the support staff. Sanjay Jha, the chef who has known Kohli since his early days, spoke about Kohli’s humble attitude, despite his immense success in international cricket.
“I have been running a canteen for 25 years and I have known Virat Kohli from his childhood. He used to eat from our canteen. He started his career from here, but he doesn’t have any arrogance. Even today, he stays humble while talking to us and the waiters just how a normal person does,” Sanjay Jha told Sports Today in an interview.
“Earlier, chilli chicken used to be his favourite. Not only did he use to eat it, but he also recommended it to his teammates. Now he has chole bhature or kadhi chawal. Once I asked him if we should order something from outside, but he refused, saying that he wanted to have food from our canteen itself,” Sanjay Jha said.
In 2021, during an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session on Instagram, the 36-year-old Kohli shared his diet. “Lots of vegetables, some eggs, 2 cups of Coffee, quinoa, lots of spinach, love dosas too. But all in controlled quantities,” Kohli wrote.
On Thursday, January 30, Kohli made his comeback to the Ranji Trophy after more than 12 years, having last played against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad in 2012. Prior to the match, Kohli arrived at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, where he participated in running and fielding exercises before taking to the field on Thursday.
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