Making a stunning comeback to the Indian team, wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant earned a deserved call-up for the T20 World Cup 2024, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the marquee event on Tuesday. Pant, who has emerged as one of the finest performers in this IPL, had to make plenty of sacrifices to be fully fit for T20 World Cup consideration. Following a disciplined regimen, Pant didn’t just say goodbye to his favourite food items but also opted for a stringent sleep schedule to help his body recover quickly.
As per a report in Times of India, Pant went on a strict calorie deficit program for which he had to snub his favourite food items like fried chicken, rasmalai and biryani. But, he couldn’t give up on chilly chicken, which was then prepared using just 5ml of extra virgin olive oil.
“He adopted a calorie-deficit diet since late December. If his body demanded 1400 calories a day, he was given around 1000 calories. It was tough on him since he had to train very hard to gain match-fitness and had to strengthen the muscles on his injured right leg,” a source involved in Pant’s rehabilitation told TOI.
“Pant wanted flavour in his food. That’s why he moved into a rented house in Bengaluru while he was at the NCA, instead of a hotel. He preferred home-cooked food. He was allowed only 5 ml of extra virgin olive oil. He couldn’t give up his love for chilly chicken. So, a recipe was derived to make it with that much oil. Goan bhindi was one of his favourites,” a source told the paper.
The report also claims that Pant lost about 16kgs over the last four months, and it was possible because of the strict sleep schedule he followed.
“All gadgets, including phones, iPads and TVs were shut down by 11 in the night. He had to have eight-nine hours of uninterrupted sleep to get back to rigorous training next morning,” the report quoted a source as saying.
