Virat Kohli's vegan fiasco: Why it's time to move on?

"Breakfast... sir, Hamara set hai," replied Virat Kohli, slurping some soup in Gaurav Kapur's "Breakfast with Champions" in 2017.

The answer: Three egg whites, one whole egg omelet loaded with spinach, black pepper, and cheese, some grilled bacon or smoked salmon, papayas, dragonfruit if available, decent amounts of cheese for good fats, and a big pot of green tea with lemon.

Nut butter and bread (gluten-free) are part of his travel. And while on the subject of Virat Kohli and his royal breakfast, grilled meats and salads made up for lunch and dinner.

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So why did the world make such a big deal when he said he went vegan, vegetarian, or in this case, "lie to the world he was vegan"? Such has been the scrutiny on the generational superstar that if he so much as looks at a pair of trainers other than the brand he endorses, the world will huff, puff, rant and troll.

Following the interview that inspired youngsters to eat healthy, there was another shocker: 'Virat Kohli had turned vegan in 2018'.

The debate pot and the speculation stirred. Was he advocating something for the animals? Did it have to do with his life in the 30s? Or was he promoting a venture?

Kohli revealed the answer himself:

"I had a cervical spine issue which resulted in a tingling sensation in my little finger making it difficult for me to bat. It happened around the Centurion Test in South Africa in 2018. Moreover, my stomach became a bit acidic, my uric acid went high and my stomach started pulling calcium from the bones which actually resulted in the spine issue. Hence, I had to cut down on meat and now I feel better than ever."

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Now Virat Kohli eats eggs, there's an uproar...why?

It shouldn't come as a surprise if the Indian skipper would have buried his face in his palms with a wry smile. Was there a slip-up in his latest Instagram Q&A about him eating eggs? It is definitely a possibility, and if there was indeed a foot-in-the-mouth moment, then perhaps his tweet may seem a tad ill-timed and laughable.

I never claimed to be vegan. Always maintained I'm vegetarian. Take a deep breath and eat your Veggies (if you want 😉)💪😂✌️

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 1, 2021

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Time to move on from Virat Kohli's vegan debate

Because there are better things to do. This might seem like a one-person opinion, but the man's an athlete and his ripped and hard-worn musculature isn't built on just training in the gym. He eats anything that supplements his training regimen and most importantly, the game he plays.

So he eats "some eggs". It's almost laughable that statements like these serve as fodder for journalism in a country that feeds heavily on sensationalism.

And for those who see this as an opportunity to take digs or call him a hypocrite for not practicing what he preaches, perhaps it's time to look at the bigger picture.

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Was Virat Kohli right in his comeback tweet?

Virat Kohli's eating just supplements to his intense training regimen

"Virat Kohli's workout and nutrition plan" and "Virat Kohli fitness" are popularly searched topics for a reason - his peak fitness stems from his off-the-field training and habits.

Kohli is part of a system that's decided to turn on the heat and play during testing times. It's the middle of a pandemic and the side are all set to leave for England to play their World Test Championship final against New Zealand. They follow that up with a challenging five-match Test series against England.

The recovery window is pretty slim with IPL 2021 set to resume soon after. The ICC T20 World Cup isn't far from the finish of the cash-rich league and there's plenty of cricket to anticipate rather than sit around and judge a man by his preferences.

So if Kohli does anything right in his clarification, it's about taking a deep breath.