However, the most talkative part of the tournament has been India’s sensational show on the fielding side. The fielding medal ceremony after every match has also caught attention, as 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 lucrative to watch.

Following the mammoth 302-run win over Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the fielding medal ceremony post-match was a cut above the rest with it getting a ‘legendary’ touch.

The occasion was graced by none other than legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar virtually. The ‘God of Cricket’ lauded captain Rohit Sharma and the team management for coming up with a such team bonding exercise. “Rohit met me the other day and spoke to me about the fielding medal,” Sachin said.

He even shared 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… 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.”

When Sachin was speaking, all the Indian cricketers and the support staff members had their eyes fixed on the screen.

After his video message, Tendulkar announced Shreyas Iyer as the medal winner for the Sri Lanka match, and KL Rahul then did the honours, with teammates cheering for him.

Here’s the video:

Against Sri Lanka, apart from fielding, Iyer was brilliant with the bat, scoring 82 off just 56 balls, which helped India post 357 for 8.

Special mentions:

Fielding coach Dilip gave special mentions to Rahul and Jadeja, before announcing the winner of the medal.

He said, as quoted by Hindustan Times, “”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.”

Match report:

Batting first, Shubman Gill (92) and Virat Kohli (88) set a superb 189-run second-wicket stand, and after that, Shreyas Iyer (82), KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja led the team to score 357/8 in 50 overs.

The ‘Men in Blue’ when entered to bowl, they were lethal in their attack, demolishing the Sri Lankan team in just 55 runs. Mohammed Shami’s five wickets, 3 wickets by Mohammed Siraj, and one each by Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja, gave India a 302-run victory. India will take on South Africa in their upcoming match at Eden Garden in Kolkata on Sunday.

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Updated: 03 Nov 2023, 06:54 PM IST