Now, India spice up their food in South Africa

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The players were unhappy with the local caterer. So, we were hired and they are enjoying and liking it. We only cater to the dressing room and to the officials.

GEET RESTAURANT MANAGER, On the food served to the Indian team

CENTURION: The Indian team that is constantly on the move and is virtually living out of a suitcase almost always prefers food that tastes, smells and feels Indian, even in the dressing room on a match-day.

An incident from the 2014-15 tour of Australia shows how Indian cricketers are particular about their choice of food.

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma and Suresh Raina had to go out of the stadium during the Gabba Test to buy food, unhappy with the fare in the dressing room provided by the match organisers.

The issue cropped up here too when a local South African caterer, tasked with providing food in the dressing rooms, was removed and an Indian restaurant -- Geet restaurant from Pre- toria -- was hired.

The local caterer now caters only to the South Africa dressing room during the match days of the ongoing tour.

In other venues too, local caterers – non-Indian – were kept away and Indian restaurants were hired to supply the main meals.

“The players were unhappy with the local caterer here. So, we were hired and they are enjoying and liking it.

“We only cater to the dressing room and to the officials accompanying the Indian team,” said a manager of Geet restaurant. The hotel supplied food for matches at Wanderers, Johannesburg too.

A local caterer at a venue, who didn’t wish to be identified, said they have never had issues with other visiting teams, including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Only the India team insists on food cooked like at home, he said.

Another local caterer said though they give an option for supplying vegetarian fare in the dressing room, and some cooked Indian style, India players don’t like it, probably because it can’t match the aroma and taste of food made in Indian restaurants.

“That is the only reason we can think of. Otherwise, none of the other teams have had issues,” he said.

The issue over catering is only for the dressing room – on match-days and at practice on days preceding the game.