Fielding for almost two days under the scorching sun can sap off energy and India devised a unique way of keeping themselves hydrated by having watermelons during the drinks break on the second day of the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad on Friday. In fact, the drinks break turned into a glorified fruit break when substitute fielder Mohammed Siraj carried a plate full of juicy cut watermelons onto the field. Those who has been associated with the Indian teams over the years couldn't remember if watermelons were consumed during drinks break.
"It's perhaps another way of keeping yourself hydrated in this dry heat. If you see, it's been very hot even during last part of evening on both days. Apart from electrolyte mixed drinks which help maintain the pH level in the body, juicy fruits does help in both hydration as well energizing in extreme conditions," a source close to the team told PTI.
Eating fruits isn't new and normally one finds the fast bowlers having a bite or two of banana at the boundary line after a long spell.
"Fast bowlers don't operate on heavy stomach but you lose a lot of energy and body fluids after maybe a five or six over spell. Hence a bite or two of banana or energy bar helps. But yes, during my playing days or even after that, never heard of watermelons being served on the field. That's a new for me," a former India fast bowler, who retired some years back, said.
It's also about whether the particular type of fruit is available in a particular city.
But no doubt, watermelon literally was Indian team's fruit of labour.