If you're in the West Indies, you're in food heaven. Even as the ocean takes your breath away, it's easy to get hooked to the mouth-watering street food if you're in the mood to try something beyond the usual fare.
T20 WORLD CUP:
But it's not such a rosy story for everybody, especially if you're a top Indian cricketer. Take Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, for example. Surya is a Mumbai boy and is surely exposed to quality seafood while there's enough evidence that Hardik isn't shy of a flamboyant life.
But when it's the World Cup and an elusive trophy to win, the two superstars of Indian cricket are keeping themselves on a tight leash when it comes to culinary experiences. One understands that both the players have their own chefs travelling with them. The duo's daily dubba (lunch box) comes from these chefs.
According to sources, the travelling chefs are not part of the team contingent. They do their own bookings and stay in bread-and-breakfast joints close to the team hotel. It is here that they cook the food prescribed by the cricketers' nutritionists. The meals are handed to them in tiffin-carriers every day.
One understands that it has nothing to do with the quality of food that is being served to the team at the hotels that they are staying. It's just that the players are very fussy about nutrition and the feel of "ghar ka khana (home-cooked food)" that make them feel comfortable on a long, difficult tour.
While Hardik and Surya have their own chefs, it's not that the other members of the team are going on binges. In fact, it was Virat Kohli who had brought about a change in the food culture of the Indian team during his captaincy tenure and the team has stuck with it.
If all goes well though for another week though, a little bit of indulgence for the boys in blue could well be in store on the party streets of the Caribbean.
1/9:T20 World Cup: India trump Bangladesh to close in on semis
<p>T20 World Cup: India trump Bangladesh to close in on semis</p>AFP
2/9:India Closer to Semi-Final Birth
<p>India inched closer to a semi-final birth in the T20 World Cup following their comprehensive 50-run victory against Bangladesh in a Super Eight Group 1 contest on Saturday.</p>AFP
3/9:Pandya’s Quickfire Fifty
<p>Hardik Pandya smashed a 27-ball fifty as India posted 196-5, their highest score in what has been a low-scoring tournament so far, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua.</p>AFP
4/9:Bangladesh’s Failed Chase
<p>Bangladesh were never really in the chase and managed 146-8 in reply, succumbing to their second Group 1 defeat to be on the brink of elimination.</p>AFP
5/9:Bangladesh’s Bowling Strategy
<p>Electing to field, Bangladesh began with spin from both ends but quickly abandoned the novelty after the first two overs yielded 23 runs and no wicket.</p>AFP
6/9:Shakib’s Redemption
<p>Shakib Al Hasan bore the brunt of the assault but redeemed himself by ending the 39-run opening stand between India skipper Rohit Sharma (23) and stalwart Virat Kohli (37).</p>ANI
7/9:Eventful Ninth Over
<p>Rohit offered a skyer to perish but Kohli smacked three sixes before Tanzim Hasan triggered a mini-collapse in the eventful ninth over.</p>ANI
8/9:Middle Order Contributions
<p>Rishabh Pant (36) and Shivam Dube (34) overcame sluggish starts before stepping on the gas but it was Pandya, who provided the late flourish with an unbeaten 50 off 27 balls that took India close to the 200-mark.</p>AFP
