Virat Kohli’s much-anticipated return to domestic cricket has created an electrifying atmosphere at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where his state team is facing Railways in the final round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. After 12 years away from the domestic circuit, Kohli’s presence has drawn an unprecedented crowd, making this one of the most attended Ranji Trophy matches in recent memory.
While the on-field performances are being watched, an off-field anecdote has also drawn attention from fans: he requested a special food at the stadium. In a nostalgic gesture, Kohli, with his disciplined diet and fitness regime, asked for chilli paneer from the canteen at the stadium.
Sanjay Jha, the canteen head who has been running the facility for over 25 years now, claims that Kohli has been eating in the canteen since his childhood. Speaking to Sports Tak, Jha fondly remembered the cricketing icon’s early days and how he used to dine here regularly during his Ranji Trophy stint before making it big on the international stage.
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“I have known Virat since he was a kid. He played Ranji from here, and this place has been like home to him. Even after achieving so much, he remains grounded. He treats the canteen as his own and doesn’t demand special treatment,” said Jha. “Today, he specifically asked for chilli paneer, so we made sure to send it to him. The best part about him is that he still prefers eating from here rather than ordering from outside.”
विराट कोहली दिल्ली के अरुण जेटली स्टेडियम में गुरुवार को रणजी ट्रॉफी मैच खेलने के लिए उतरे. इस दौरान उन्होंने लंच में खाने के लिए चिली पनीर ऑर्डर किया.#ViratKohli #RanjiTrophy #ATDigital pic.twitter.com/SYBiwjvtI6
— AajTak (@aajtak) January 30, 2025
Interestingly, Jha also revealed that Kohli was a chilli chicken fan in his early years and often suggested it to his teammates. However, after adopting a vegetarian diet, he has been eating dishes like chole bhature and kadhi chawal. Jha recalled an instance when he asked Kohli if he wanted food from outside, but the star batter refused it and said he liked the canteen food he used to eat.
“Earlier, he used to enjoy chilli chicken, and he wouldn’t just eat it himself but would also request his teammates to try it. Now, he loves chole bhature or kadhi chawal. Once, I asked him if he wanted to order something from outside, but he refused saying, ‘No, I’ll eat from our canteen,”’ Jha added.
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While Kohli’s food choice may be the talking point, the actual focus is on his form. It’s a great opportunity for him to get back in rhythm before the Test series against England. Over the last couple of days, he has been working hard at the nets. He even trained with former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar in Mumbai on his backfoot play. The fans are looking forward to see if his comeback to domestic cricket will help him regain his touch.
