Virat Kohli, cricketer and captain of the Indian national team, recently adopted a plant-based diet. According to sources, the switch to veganism has benefited his health and athletic performance.
Kohli first moved away from animal products four months ago, the Times of India reported. So far, the transition has upped his strength and digestive power. “He is now feeling stronger than before,” sources said. And though he was once a fan of biryani, an Indian dish featuring a multitude of animal-derived products, the 29-year-old “isn’t missing meat, eggs or dairy.” In place of animal-derived foods, the cricketer has been eating vegetables, soya, and drinking protein shakes. The source added that the diet has had a “calming effect” on his mood.
Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma spoke to the Hindustan Times about Kohli’s performance. “If you see his knocks — across formats — one can only do that when one is supremely fit. The point that needs to be noted is that Kohli spends as much time working on his cricketing skills as he does on improving his fitness,” Sharma said.
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Kohli’s new diet appears to be paying off. Last week, on the second day of the first Test against the West Indies, the cricketer scored a century, simultaneously becoming the 11th Indian cricketer to complete 3,000 runs at home.
Kohli is not the only athlete to tout the benefits of a plant-based diet. NBA star JaVale McGee, of the Golden State Warriors, and Arsenal’s Héctor Bellerín have both credited veganism for their improved athletic performances. Conor Devine, who completed his seventh Ironman marathon earlier this year, uses his plant-based diet to power himself through impressive athletic feats, all while battling multiple sclerosis (MS). And Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton is well on his way to another World Championship after his recent victory at the Japan Grand Prix.
Kohli’s wife, Indian actor and film producer Anushka Sharma, has also ditched meat. Earlier this year, the star revealed plans to open an animal rescue shelter just outside of Mumbai, in order to stand up for those without a voice. “I’m starting something that will give our fellow living beings equal rights, equal care, and equal love.”
Image Credit: Virat Kohli
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