Indian cricketers bowled over by Sherbet, yogurt and honey

Chittagong, May 18 (UNI) Woodapple Sherbet, Yogurt and honey are doing wonders with the Indian cricketers as these have become the most demanding items of ''food conscious'' Indians in Bangladesh.

Anil Kumble may have had hundreds of batsmen bowled over, but in Chittagong he has been bowled over by the taste of woodapple sherbat. So much so that he asked the waiters of hotel Peninsula, where the Indian team has put up, for the recipe to continue cooling himself off back home.

Kumble is not alone, even Cricket manager Ravi Shastri has been relishing his favourite yogurt during breakfasts and lunches, hotel sources said. The lanky former Indian captain has declared during a media conference after the second ODI in Dhaka that yoghurt and honey were his staple diet every morning.

The hotel has, however, laid out a sumptuous spread for Rahul Dravid's side, with Indian, Chinese and Banlgadeshi dishes competiting for attention.

''Moila fish'', a delicacy in this part of the world, was also served to the Indians during a dinner on May 14, and it appealed to the gastronomic tastes of the players. Apart from that, ''Bhetki steaks'' and ''Lobsters'' also feature on the menu list.

Moila, by the way, is considered good for eyesight as it is rich on vitamins.

''Most of the items on the menu are Indian. We have specially prepared lot of dishes keeping in mind the Indian palette,'' the hotel sources said.

The dishes were finalised on a guideline given by Indian team physical trainer Gregory Allen King, who has advised the hotel to desist from serving spicy food.

''A lot of items on the menu has been chosen by King,'' said a top executive of Peninsula.

The majority of the items are vegetarian, and South Indian dishes like ''Dosa''.

So whether their food for thought of what the proceedings in the Test keeping the players busy, the food-affair is well taken care off.

UNI