VVS Laxman surprises Team India with a special gesture from the outgoing coach as the dressing room tradition is passed on to the juniors

Make way for the new and young generation of Indian cricketers. Under Shubman Gill, the young brigade recovered from a surprise defeat to Zimbabwe in the first T20I to win the series 4-1 on Sunday. The comprehensive victory offered a glimpse of things to come. In two years, most of the players from this team will be in India’s Playing XI for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The process has begun and in the presence of seniors like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, the transition will take place.

The transition is not just about the players. As Indian cricket enters a new era, the outgoing coaching team will be replaced by a new team led by head coach Gautam Gambhir. The former Indian opening coach’s first official assignment as coach will begin on July 27, when India will face Sri Lanka in three ODIs and three T20Is, and it is expected to be an exciting phase.

But even though the Lanka series is still 12 days away, the Indian team in Zimbabwe is already experiencing what it is like to be in the shoes of the senior players. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad are not only batting where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli used to be, but they are also experiencing the same excitement in the dressing room. To make India’s win in Zimbabwe even more special, incumbent coach VVS Laxman had a surprise for his group of young players – a video call from none other than T Dilip – one of the outgoing coaches from the Rahul Dravid era.

“Boys, fielding has always been of utmost importance to us and to Indian cricket. And it is an aspect of the game for which we have set high standards over the years. We should aim to continue to strive for excellence in this area. As you all know, we follow a tradition, which is the Fielding Medal. The medal is awarded to a player who has made a significant impact on the game with his fielding. To continue this tradition, Mr. Subhadeep Ghosh will present the Fielding Medal today,” Dilip said.

Rinku Singh wins his first fielding medal for India

Rinku Singh, to whom Laxman gave the honour, won his first fielding medal with the Indian team. Although Rinku had not caught a single ball or caused a run-out in the last Harare T20Is, his total of six catches in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th T20Is was enough not only to make him a contender for the medal, but also to win it.

“Another good day in fielding. I think it was a great performance from every individual. I think in the last five months we have been thrown into different scenarios and challenges. As I always say, catching is very, very important. When you take the catches you can control the game and dominate which is what we did today. Every time he steps on the ground I think he says I get up. I think he always steps on the ground and doesn’t let me affect him. I think that goes to Rinku Singh,” Ghosh said.

Rinku, who was all smiles, was overjoyed. “I really enjoyed playing with everyone. It was my fourth or fifth series, so I really enjoyed it. To be honest, I like being a fielder more than batting. I enjoy it a lot. It’s a lot of fun to run. So what else can I say… God’s plan,” Rinku said.