The introduction of the fielding medal, in Team India, which recognizes the fielder in each ODI World Cup match has been a success. This initiative aims to acknowledge and motivate performance on the field and gained attention during the prestigious tournament.
It has garnered fan appreciation through social media videos that capture the behind the scenes moments after victories. Fielding coach T Dilip shared that this concept was initiated four months before the competition started but gained prominence during the World Cup.
Dilip emphasized that the objective goes beyond applauding catches; it is about nurturing a culture of effort and intensity throughout the 50 over format. He stressed how important it is to maintain consistency in performance whether it’s in catching, effort or intensity across all 300 balls faced during a game.
Dilip further explained how this idea originated, saying, “The whole concept actually began before you saw it materialize as a medal, in the World Cup. We started implementing this idea four months by announcing the fielder award within our dressing room after every game. Now with medals being presented and those moments being shared on media during the World Cup it has gained more attention.”
The approach aimed to shift the focus from individual moments and, towards appreciating consistent excellence.
A noteworthy event occurred when Suryakumar Yadav was acknowledged as the fielder during a match against the Netherlands. The team management organized a ceremony at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru where the ground staff officially declared him as the winner.
Despite competition from players like KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja Suryakumar earned the medal due to his performance, in the second innings. This highlights how the fielding medal initiative successfully motivates players to give their best on the field.
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