India vs Netherlands: T Dilip uses heart-warming method to announce 'best fielder'

Team India has stormed into the World Cup semi-finals without dropping a game and showing their dominance. Apart from all the emphatic performances and excellent teamwork, the players are particularly savouring the prospect of receiving the coveted ‘Best Fielder’ Medal, an accolade presented by their fielding coach, T Dilip. Demonstrating a creative touch in each of his presentations – Dilip revealed the winners in a unique manner during India’s last league match against the Netherlands in Bengaluru. Notably, he roped in M Chinnaswamy Stadium’s groundsmen to declare the latest recipient of the award.

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This innovation has sparked healthy competition among the players, with every fielder now looking to take that extra step to win this Best Fielder Medal. It’s clear that players have relished the opportunity, actively taking catches, and even posing and signalling toward the fielding coach asking him to consider their names.

Suryakumar Yadav, who was excellent in the field, won the award after this match and was presented the medal by Rohit Sharma.

When the “Decision is pending” & you get the groundsmen for the BIG reveal

Heartwarming & innovative from #TeamIndia in this edition of the Best fielder award #CWC23 | #MenInBlue | #INDvNED

WATCH – By @28anand

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 13, 2023

Stressing the importance of these catches, T Dilip had said that he wanted the players to remain sharp and agile right throughout the game.

Read: India tick off all the boxes as Men in Blue juggernaut rolls into semis

“The whole idea was to make sure that we not only encourage or talk about that brilliant catch but also the consistent performance in a 50-over game, which is very important because 300 balls, how you carry that consistency, whether it is catching or effort or intensity, is what we want to get that important going. So that was the main reason behind getting this medal,” he said after the match.

Coming to the Sunday match. India flexed their batting muscle once again as they smashed 410 against the Netherlands in their last group match. KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer notched up their centuries and then the bowlers managed to seal the game with 160 runs. Notably, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma too chipped in with the wickets at the back end of the Dutch innings.