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[Watch] KL Rahul Outclasses Kohli And Gill To Win Iconic Fielder Of The Match Award

Bhargav Dixit

KL Rahul poses with the fielding medal. [Source: bcci.tv]KL Rahul poses with the fielding medal. [Source: bcci.tv]

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In spite of not getting to bat No. 5 in their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match against Bangladesh in Dubai yesterday, India wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul scored a cautious 41* (47) in a match-winning 98-ball 87-run fifth-wicket partnership alongside opener Shubman Gill. That, however, wasn’t Rahul’s only contribution to a 6-wicket victory.

As India’s first-choice wicket-keeper batter ahead of Rishabh Pant, Rahul made it a point to pitch in behind the stumps as well. In the process, ended up grabbing three catches on a day when India captain Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya dropped simple catches.

KL Rahul Wins Fielder Of The Match Award

In what is more of a team-bonding activity, Indian cricketers remained back at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to know the winner of the fielder of the match award. A brainchild of fielding coach T Dilip, it is great to see the ceremony continuing from ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 to the ongoing showpiece event.

Facing stiff competition from Gill and former captain Virat Kohli, Rahul emerged triumphant as his pre-tournament graphic was displayed on the big screen at the venue. For the unversed, Rahul grabbed impressive catches to be part of Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim’s dismissals in the first powerplay.

Additionally, his swift work behind the stumps especially against spinners, despite a missed stumping, was commendable for someone who hadn’t kept wickets during the first half of his international career. Hasan, India all-rounder Axar Patel’s first of two wickets, was dismissed primarily because of Rahul not only completing a sharp catch but also appealing for it especially when the bowler refused to have heard anything.

“He’s been very consistent behind the stumps, it’s never easy because with the new ball, diving on the leg-side – he’s been doing really well taking those catches, KL Rahul,” Dilip lauded the 32-year-old player.

Kohli, who couldn’t do much with the bat in hand, had caught Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and batter Jaker Ali at short cover and long-on respectively. Player of the match Gill, on the other hand, had pulled off a classic slip catch to send Bangladesh vice-captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz back to the pavilion.