Young Indian batsman Sai Sudharsan was awarded the ‘ODI Series Impact Fielder’ medal for a notable catch during the third ODI in South Africa. Indian captain and goalkeeper KL Rahul sacrificed his chance to receive the award in favor of Sai Sudharsan.
The KL Rhul-led team cruised to a 78-run win against South Africa in the third ODI at Boland Park in Paarl on Thursday, December 21, leading to a 2-1 series win. Notably, Rahul had captained India in the previous tour of South Africa, which resulted in a 0-3 defeat.
The Men in Blue achieved their second victory in the ODI series on South African soil. Former Indian captain Virat Kohli previously led the team to a 5-1 win in 2018. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli are the only Indian captains to have achieved an ODI series victory in Rainbow Nation.
A tight decision between KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan – Ajay Ratra
Indian fielding coach Ajay Ratra praised KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan and Sanju Samson for their outstanding performances in the ODI series against South Africa. Ratra revealed that Rahul insisted on giving the ‘Impact Fielder of the ODI Series’ award to Sai Sudharsan.
“There are few magnificent performances in the ODI series. In total, we have taken 12 catches during the ODI series against South Africa. KL alone has made six sacks. Sanju has made two catches, one as a keeper and another as a fielder. Sai made a brilliant catch today. It was a difficult decision to decide who was the best outfielder. It was a tight decision between Rahul and Sai. But Rahul was generous enough to say that the catches were in his hand and we should give this award to Sai,” Ratra said.
India’s fielding coach T Dilip introduced a unique ceremony that takes place in the dressing room after every series. Dilip employed innovative methods before declaring the game’s best fielder, who received a medal, injecting a competitive spirit into the team’s fielding efforts.
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A 2⃣-1⃣ win in the ODI series in South Africa 🏆👌
Any ideas on who won the series’ Impact Outfielder Medal? 🏅😎
WATCH 🎥🔽 #TeamIndia | #SAvINDhttps://t.co/z92KREno0C
– BCCI (@BCCI) December 22, 2023
This tradition has gained prominence during the recently concluded ODI World Cup 2023. Indian fielders gestured towards the dressing room after taking catches in the tournament, fostering a culture of healthy competition among players within the cricket community.
Sai Sudharsan’s impressive performances in the ODI series
Sai Sudharsan displayed remarkable acrobatic skills with an impressive full jump, taking a spectacular catch to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen. Sudharsan’s fielding prowess contributed to a crucial wicket by Klaasen, who scored 21 runs off 22 balls with three boundaries.
The 22-year-old made his international debut during the first ODI of the three-match series. The young batsman showed instant impact, scoring an unbeaten 55 runs in the series opener. He also scored a half-century in the second match, but the team lost the match.
The Tamil Nadu batsman will represent the Gujarat Titans (GT) team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. In the last season, the left-hander scored 507 runs in 13 matches at an average of 46.09 and a strike rate of 137 .03, including a 96-run knock in the final match.
Also Read: IND vs SA: Sai Sudharsan can play for India for next 10-15 years – Irfan Pathan