The award is a dressing room honour, similar to the Best Fielder of the Match award. Young batter Tilak Varma became the first recipient of this recognition after receiving the honour following the first T20 match played in Harare.
Explaining the reason behind introducing the award, India’s interim head coach VVS Laxman said that cricket is not only about scoring runs or taking wickets. He said, “Attitude is as important as skill. As a team management, we thought that in all three matches of this series, we will not only recognise and appreciate a player’s outstanding performance in fielding, bowling or batting, but also give importance to their attitude.”
Tilak Varma’s performance in the first match against Zimbabwe was not particularly notable according to statistics. He took one catch and scored the winning run for the team while batting at the end. However, the team’s support staff believed that the commitment and energy shown by Tilak both on and off the field made him deserving of the honour.
Strength and conditioning coach Harsha explained that Tilak put in complete effort during practice sessions and continued to play with full intensity throughout the match. Speaking about Tilak, Harsha said, “This player not only pushed himself forward outside the field, but also played with complete dedication on the field. Even when things did not necessarily require such intensity, he still performed them with the same energy and passion.”
The introduction of the Best Attitude Award highlights the team management’s focus on recognising commitment, discipline and the overall contribution of players during the series, alongside their traditional cricketing performances.
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