For his spectacular diving catch at backward point
against Bangladesh in ICC World Cup, Bharat’s star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja
won the fielder of the match award by fielding coach T Dilip, beating
wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav.
In an entertaining behind-the-scenes video posted by
the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Team India can be seen having
fun in the dressing room as the fielding coach was announcing the medal winner.
The teammates surrounded Jadeja. Rahul, who won the
award in the previous match, did the honours and handed the medal over to
Jadeja, who placed it around the neck of Bharat’s fielding coach.
So far in the event, the winners of the medal have
been proclaimed on television screens inside the dressing room. But Dilip took
it a step further when the best fielder of the match was declared on the
stadium’s large screen, shocking the entire Indian squad, on Thursday.
While giving the medal, the Indian fielding coach
praised Rahul and Jadeja’s excellent dives while fielding. Dilip later added
that the team focuses on saving runs and not just one catch but overall
performance, for which he chose Jadeja for the best fielding award.
“We have played enough. We all know that win isn’t
built-in runs or wickets. I think it is also built on marvellous catches,
tremendous diving and today was a great example of that. Just not the way we
save, but the numbers saved. Two game-changing catches by KL and Jadeja. We as
a team saved 13 runs today. That was fantastic. So let’s roll the carpet for today’s
evening star. On the field today one person was like a lion. Commanding on the
field, outstanding effort with the direct hit, saving and fantastic top catch-
Jadeja,” Dilip said in a video posted by BCCI.tv.
“A grand win, a grand Medal Ceremony, a celebration of
giant proportions. This time the dressing room BTS went beyond the boundary –
quite literally,” BCCI posted on X.
India wicketkeeper-batter Rahul, who won the Fielder
of the Match medal in Bharat’s last game against Pakistan, lauded Jadeja and
Kuldeep Yadav for good fielding in the game against Bangaldesh.
“I think I deserve it today, but also I have won it
just the last game. So Dilip sir, just to keep it interesting, will give it to
somebody else. And according to me, the contenders are just Jaddu (Ravindra
Jadeja), obviously for the catch. And Kuldeep Yadav is not too far away because
he was really good in the field today,” KL Rahul said.
Kuldeep Yadav was also nominated for his outstanding
ground fielding. Dilip praised Kuldeep’s efforts and describes the significance
of the award and how it demonstrates the team’s fighting spirit.
“And here comes a big person who’s been stretching his
limits by every game. I think today we saw him outstandingly. Well, Kuldeep
Yadav, you were outstanding. Like we have been speaking about this medal a lot
and I think it’s not just our medal. We made something that is beautiful, but
also a testament to our skill, fitness and will to put our bodies on the line.
KL please do the honours for me,” Dilip further said in a video.
With four wins in 4 matches, the red-hot Men in Blue
will lock horns with unbeaten New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket
Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday.
ANI
