Team India to be served special Kathiyawadi and Gujarati cuisine food in Rajkot; Rohit Sharma allocated presidential suite

Following a short break, India and England are set to battle it out in the third Test of the ongoing five-match series at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot from February 15-19. The Men in Blue players have arrived in Rajkot ahead of the crucial encounter. The Indian team will stay at the Sayaji Hotel during their time in the city.

Speaking to Aaj Tak, hotel director Urvesh Purohit mentioned that skipper Rohit Sharma has been allocated a special Royal Heritage-themed suite, while senior batter KL Rahul has also been given a suite.

Shedding light on the food arrangements made for the Indian players, Purohit confirmed that the cricket stars will be served Kathiyawadi and Gujarati delicacies like Fafda-Jalebi, Khakhra, Gathiya, Thepla, and Khman for breakfast, while Dahi Tikari, Vagherela Rotlo, and Khichdi Kadh will be part of the dinner menu.

The hosts suffered a 28-run defeat in the Test series opener against England in Hyderabad, failing to chase down a 231-run target in the fourth innings. Rohit Sharma and Co. bounced back, claiming a comprehensive 106-run victory in the second Test in Visakhapatnam to level the series at 1-1.

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Reports suggest KL Rahul has been ruled out of the Rajkot Test

KL Rahul shone with the bat in the first Test of the ongoing series, scoring 86 runs in the team's first innings. However, he was ruled out of the second Test due to a pain in his right quadriceps.

The keeper-batter was named in the squad for the remaining three Tests, but could very well miss the third fixture. According to a report in the Indian Express, Rahul has failed to prove his full fitness ahead of the Rajkot Test.

The report also indicated that Karnataka's left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal has replaced Rahul in the squad for the Rajkot Test. Padikkal has been in brilliant form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024, mustering 556 runs across six innings at an average of 92.66.