[ad_1]
Apart from the outstanding display of India’s batters and bowlers, what has caught the imagination of the fans in this World Cup is the fielding medal ceremony after every match. India’s fielding coach T Dilip has been at the forefront of it and his innovative ways of announcing the best fielder of the match have been something to look forward to after each India victory. It was no different after India’s mammoth 302-run win over Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. But even by those lofty standards, Thursday’s ceremony was a cut above the rest as it got a ‘legendary’ touch.
None other than Sachin Tendulkar graced the occasion, albeit virtually. The legendary Indian cricketer lauded captain Rohit Sharma and the team management for coming up with a such team bonding exercise. “Rohit met me the other and spoke to me about the fielding medal,” Sachin said via video message.
The Master Blaster then went on to share an anecdote from the 2003 World Cup. “When we were playing in South Africa, we had a chart. It had ‘I can, we can’ mentioned and every player had to sign that chart before going out on the field. It was all about commitment… that I will give my 100 commitment to the country and the team. That is exactly what the current team is doing by giving a fielding medal. It is a reflection of your commitment to do something for your colleague, for your team and for the country. I’ve simply loved the brand of cricket that you have played so far. It’s been a joy to watch, Tendulkar said in a video message which was played on a giant screen inside the Indian dressing room.
All the Indian cricketers and the support staff members had their eyes fixed on the screen when Tendulkar was uttering those inspirational words.
Right at the end of the video, Tendulkar announced Shreyas Iyer as the medal winner for the Sri Lanka match. KL Rahul then did the honours amid thunderous cheers from the other members of the team.
Watch: Sachin Tendulkar announces best fielder medal for Shreyas Iyer after IND vs SL match
Iyer was not only sharp in the field but was tremendous with the bat. After Shubman Gill (92) and Virat Kohli (88) got out in quick succession after a superb 189-run second-wicket stand, Iyer took centre stage with crucial partnerships with KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja.
Iyer, who was under a bit of pressure coming into this match, smashed six sixes to end up with 82 off just 56 balls. It was his fearless batting in the middle overs that helped India post 357 for 8 after being invited to bat by Sri Lanka.
Apart from Iyer, fielding coach Dilip gave special mentions to Rahul and Jadeja.
“One special mention to the guys actually today in the hot sun, people who have battled there, when they came back on the field, they made sure that they maintained that intensity. I think (he is) one of our GPS navigator types, working along with the captain, (he) makes sure that he has the right fielders at the right place. But he was also tested on both sides. Outstanding, KL Rahul! And we all know that our best fielder is always waiting to take those brilliant catches. He [Ravindra Jadeja] made it happen. I think last but not least, I think I would call him a ‘silent sniper’. He [Shreyas Iyer] is not the loudest on the field but when it comes to throwing, and catching, he is just out there,” he said.
Coming back to the match, Jasprit Bumrah picked up a wicket on the first ball while defending the target.
Mohammed Shami’s five-wicket haul helped India to dismiss Sri Lanka at 55 runs. Siraj took bagged three wickets in the game. Meanwhile, Jadeja and Bumrah took one wicket each in their respective spells.
After continuing their seven-match unbeaten streak, India stands in the top place of the points table.
The ‘Men in Blue’ will take on South Africa in their upcoming match at Eden Garden in Kolkata on Sunday.
[ad_2]
Source link