There’s always been a bit of mystery around what Test cricketers eat and drink during those long-format breaks. Do they actually sip on tea during the ‘tea break’? England batter Ollie Pope has now lifted the lid on his break-time routine during matches.
Ollie Pope Shares His Test Match Diet
In a chat with Sky Sports, Pope talked about what he prefers eating during breaks in a Test match.
“Generally like chicken, fish, maybe some steak out with pasta, trying to fuel up as much as you can. For me, if I am batting though, I don’t actually eat a lot at all, just because for some reason your body just doesn’t want to get too much in,” he said.
For Pope, the idea is to stay light while staying energized. He usually sticks to just a few items if he’s got a long innings going.
Cricketers and Tea Break: Tea or Something Else?
When it comes to the actual tea break, it seems it’s not always about tea. Pope admitted he doesn’t usually stick to the traditional option.
“Some do (prefer taking tea). I normally have coffee. Sometimes, a cup of tea when it’s a rain delay or something,” he added.
So while the term ‘tea break’ sticks, preferences clearly vary, with many players choosing coffee or other lighter options instead.
Pope’s Performance in India Test Series
Pope started the five-match series against India on a high, scoring a brilliant 106 from 137 balls at Headingley. That knock helped England take a 1-0 lead.
However, after that innings, his form dipped. His 44 off 104 balls at Lord’s has been his only significant contribution since the century.
England Take Lead Ahead of Fourth Test
Despite Pope’s quiet run since Headingley, England managed to edge out a narrow 22-run win at Lord’s, taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
The momentum is now with the hosts as they look ahead to the crucial fourth Test.
England squad for the fourth Test against India: Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.
Most Probably, Team India will make a few changes for the 4th Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Akash Deep.
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