In a shift away from traditional statistics, the Indian national cricket team has introduced a brand-new dressing room accolade. During the team’s ongoing tour of Zimbabwe, interim head coach VVS Laxman unveiled the “Best Attitude Award” last Thursday. The initiative aims to celebrate effort, resilience, and discipline rather than traditional match figures such as runs scored or wickets taken.
The inaugural award following the first match of the series went to young batter Tilak Varma. His performance on the scorecard appeared modest: a single catch, one boundary, and the winning runs scored for the team. Yet, Laxman designed the recognition specifically to highlight those crucial, unheralded contributions that standard match summaries routinely overlook.
Explaining the rationale behind the initiative, Laxman emphasised that a player’s mindset and positive outlook carry equal weight to technical prowess. The team management resolved that across the three-match series, the focus would extend beyond raw batting, bowling, and fielding metrics to honour outstanding character and commitment.
Selecting the recipient falls to the backroom support staff. For this particular tour, the responsibility was handed to strength and conditioning coach Harsha alongside performance coach Joy. Praising Varma’s exhaustive training regime, Harsha noted that the cricketer prepares meticulously behind closed doors and maintains total intensity on the pitch, even during moments when lesser effort might easily suffice.
Reflecting on receiving the accolade, Varma credited his preparation for his success. He remarked that he consistently strives to give his absolute best, noting that his endeavours away from public view directly empower his performances on the field.