Here is a look at the diet regime of a cricketer:
Practice Session Diet –
Cricketers spend more time training than actually playing the matches. They might even have to be in several practice sessions every day. These sessions can be gruelling and drain a cricketer’s energy. That is a cause of worry because exhausted players cannot win matches and are prone to picking up injuries. That is why a very specific diet is formulated for the practice sessions
The factors that are taken into consideration while devising individual diet plans for every cricketer are:
The fielding position of the player.
The intensity and duration of the session.
The weight, body size, BMI and age of the player.
Before a session, every cricketer consumes a nutrient-rich and high-energy meal that will sustain the player for quite a few hours. Processed foods are strictly avoided.
A pre-training diet consists of whole-grain snacks, fruits, boiled vegetables, protein bars, lean proteins, healthy biscuits and dairy products. But on days when training will be very intense, cricketers also eat muesli bars and yoghurt.
As for fluids, the temperature and weather conditions, as well as the duration of the training session determine how much liquid a player needs to drink. Fluid loss interferes with the accuracy of bowling and fielding. So before and during the practice session, players consume energy drinks, water and non-sweetened fruit juices to stay hydrated.
Post-training session diet is just as strict. A cricketer can’t deviate from his diet plan because recovery hinges on what he eats afterwards. This diet is very particular to mend and repair muscles and replenish the fluids lost during the practice session. So a cricketer consumes plenty of proteins and electrolytes.
Here are some food items that feature in a post-training meal:
Whole grain and lean meat sandwiches.
Lean meat whole wheat burgers.Greek yoghurt with berries.
Whole grain noodles with stir-fried vegetables and chicken.
Energy Gels.
Diet Before the World Cup Match –
The diet on a matchday is very similar to the diet they stick to during training.
How well a cricketer performs depends largely on what he consumes right before the match
because food is the fuel that will keep him going. A pre-match meal will be something like this:
High on carbohydrates but low on calories.
Oatmeal, cereals (whole grain) with milk and fruits.
Whole wheat stir-fried pasta.
Fluids and electrolytes.
A cricketer’s life is bound by dietary strictures during the cricket world cup. This is to ensure that they remain in peak health throughout the tournament.