Cricket players who have established a plant-based diet
Both diets and physiques are changing rapidly in the modern world and particularly in sport. Improved on-field performance, health-related benefits and contributing to the environment are all reasons for this. In this article, we will explore five famous cricketers who are vegan full-time.
There are a number of cricket players who are vegan for only periods of the year, i.e when their schedule allows. For example, the Indian captain Virat Kohli is a part-time vegan. He eats meat when touring but often switches to a plant-based diet when at home. Kohli admitted that he doesn’t miss meat, eggs or dairy for those parts of the year – feeling that both his digestive power and strength has improved being a vegan cricketer.
But, who are those cricketers that have established a full-time vegan diet?
5. Mady Villiers
Mady Villiers is number five on our list. She is still a relative newcomer to international cricket, having played only 12 T20Is for England Women. In those games she has picked up 11 wickets at a bowling average of 16.72 and at an economy rate of 6.57.
Being an off-spinner, she felt that she needed to improve her performance on the field and hence stopped eating meat, in favour of a vegan diet. Villiers turned vegan in late 2019 and has performed well since but we cannot be sure what that is attributable to.
Mady Villiers is number five on our list of “5 famous cricketers who are vegan.”
4. Kane Richardson
The Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson features at number four on our list. He was recently picked up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2021 Auction. Richardson has been vegetarian since 2014 and turned vegan in 2016.
An interesting trip to the farm with his partner prompted him to change his eating habits. The fast bowler said that “I don’t want to eat animals.” He also said that Virat Kohli helped him maintain his ideas about veganism.
Kane Richardson is number four on our list of “5 famous cricketers who are vegan.”
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3. Jason Gillespie
In third place is Jason Gillespie, a current coach and former fast bowler for Australia. Gillespie admitted that he used to love meat on his cricketing travels and South African biltong was a favourite of his. However, post his playing days, he learnt about animal cruelty and stopped consuming meat post 2014.
He has shut down multiple trolls on Twitter in the past, for making fun of his vegan diet. Gillespie claims that he did not realise about the leather balls in cricket being made from meat during his playing days.
Jason Gillespie is number three on our list of “5 famous cricketers who are vegan.”
2. Adam Zampa
Adam Zampa, is number four on our list of vegan cricketers. He is currently a spin bowler for both Australia and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Zampa has played 61 ODIs and 41 T20Is for Australia, picking up 92 and 43 wickets respectively in the two formats.
The leg-spinner claims that he did not choose to turn vegan in order to help his performance, but like many others, he wanted to help the environment and stop animal cruelty. He says that he is very passionate about his surroundings and wants to do whatever he can to help present it.
Adam Zampa is number two on our list of “5 famous cricketers who are vegan.”
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1. Peter Siddle
Peter Siddle is the most well-known vegan in the cricketing fraternity and hence features first on our list. “Sidds” has been vegan for longer than anyone on this list of players – having given up meat in 2012. His partner Anna, who campaigns for animal rights, convinced him to change his diet.
However, there was lots of criticism because some believed that his pace dropped and he wasn’t as fit as before. Perhaps the strangest thing about Siddle is that he consumes up to 20 bananas a day, which is quite ridiculous when you actually think about it. In 67 Tests for Australia, Siddle has taken 221 wickets at a bowling average of 31.
Peter Siddle is number one on our list of “5 famous cricketers who are vegan.”
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