World Cup: Behind India’s fielding medals that have become a hit on social media as well as among the players | Cricket-world-cup News

The Indian team management’s decision to have a ‘dressing room medal ceremony’ has become an instant hit on social media during the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The Indian Express understands that the idea came in after the team’s fielding wasn’t up to the mark at Asia Cup held in Sri Lanka recently and a few games in West Indies. As a result, the team management came up with this exercise to reward the best fielder during the game. Earlier, the team coaches used to just praise players post every game and there used to be no medal ceremony.
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To make it competitive among its group, the team management decided to start this practice for the World Cup and apart from earning plenty of engagement with fans, it has become hugely popular in the dressing room too. We have already seen Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer celebrate catches gesturing medals around their necks.
“The team coaches used to orally praise the performer of the day’s play earlier, however, the team management felt after Australia’s three ODI series that in order to keep the environment more competitive among the players, an exercise should take place where the best fielder should get a medal,” a BCCI official said.
It is a novel concept that has certainly got the attention. In order to give more colour to the medal ceremony, Indian team fielding coach T Dilip has been finding new ways to announce the winner after each game. Earlier, during the India vs Bangladesh game in Pune, the name of the winner – Jadeja for his catch at point – was shown on the big screen at the venue.
Dilip in a video posted bcci.tv explains the importance of the medal and why it shows the fighting spirit of this team.
“Like we’ve been speaking about the medal a lot and I think it’s just not our medal. We made something that is beautiful but also is testament of our skill, fitness, and the will to put your bodies on the line. Today’s winner (signaling towards the big screen in the ground which shows the image of Ravindra Jadeja).”
India dropped three catches against New Zealand on Sunday in Dharamsala. However, amidst dropping some sitters, the men in blue did a few brilliant things with their ground fielding especially when Shreyas Iyer latched on to Devon Conway in the fourth over of the innings to put the Blackcaps on the backfoot early doors.
“One guy was like a fish in the water, natural and swift just outstanding start with a brilliant catch at square leg and finished off some outstanding stops out there, especially in the field… Shreyas Iyer,” Dilip said.Most Read
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And this time the name of the winner was announced through a spidercam which carried a frame of Iyer’s picture. To make it interesting, Dilip asked his team to come to the ground and guess the winner’s name.
No trekking for Indian players
The Indian team management has informed Indian players that no players can go trekking during the two day rest period they have received after India vs New Zealand game in Dharamsala. Few players had expressed their desire but it is learnt that coaching staff made it clear that it won’t be advisable, especially during such an important juncture of the World Cup. The Indian team has been given a two-day break in Dharamsala which attracts a lot of mountaineers to trek. The team management felt that the security of players was also one of the reasons for not allowing players to trek. “The team management has informed players that they can’t go trekking, they can go out but can’t do trekking. At the same time during the series no Indian player can even do paragliding as it can go against the player contract,” a BCCI official said.
The Indian team had a team dinner on Monday and they are scheduled to fly to Lucknow on the 25th from Dharamsala.