"I think in that silence...": Former fielding coach T Dilip recalls his best moment with Team India
Mumbai, August 11
Former Indian fielding coach T Dilip spoke on his best moment with the team, saying that the silence in the dressing room that followed after their title-drought-breaking T20 World Cup win in 2024 stays with him, as he could sense the hard work that the players had put in over the last few years.
Dilip served as India men's fielding coach from 2021 until the conclusion of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He returned for a second stint during India's Test tour of the UK in 2025 on a one-year contract but was not retained after it expired. During his time with Team India, he was involved in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, 2026 title wins and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title win.
Speaking on JioStar, Dilip recalled the best moment of his career, saying, "If I go back to my best moment, I think Barbados 2024, not just the trophy, but the dressing room atmosphere afterwards, the silence for a few seconds before it broke. I think in that silence, I could sense the amount of hard work the boys had put in over those four years. And I'll always keep that frame in my mind."
During Dilip's tenure, the fielding medal and its presentation to the players in the dressing room after the match became a symbol of India's pursuit of excellence in fielding. The ceremonies enjoyed a lot of popularity among the fans, notably during the 2023 Cricket World Cup at home.
On his thought of introducing the medal, Dilip said that he wanted the overall impact of a fielder to be recognised rather than just one spectacular moment, and the competition it produced among the fielders and the celebration of the medal winner's success helped fielding earn the recognition it deserved.
"What I thought was to recognise the overall impact as a fielder rather than just a spectacular catch. But what it brought in was that all the 11 players on the field, who may not be in the hotspots, had a feeling inside them that, 'A little contribution would get me that award.' That positive competition among the group had started and, automatically, players started to notice even small things while being on the field," he said.
"They celebrated when their other teammates did something exceptional. And that was a huge factor for me because, at the end of the day, the fielding medal is a team award. The players embraced it, fans supported it, and fielding got the recognition it deserved the most," he added.
Subhadeep Ghosh has replaced T Dilip as the fielding coach of the India men's cricket team ahead of the upcoming two-Test tour of Sri Lanka, Cricinfo reported.
The 57-year-old previously served as the fielding coach of the India women's team for two years, during which he was part of the support staff for the 2022 Women's ODI World Cup and the 2023 Women's T20 World Cup.
Ghosh has also worked with India A and had a stint as head coach of Assam's senior men's team. As a player, Ghosh was a right-handed batter who represented Assam and Railways. He featured in 17 first-class matches and 17 List A games during his domestic career.
India will begin their two-Test series against Sri Lanka on August 15 in Galle, with the second Test scheduled for August 23 at the SSC in Colombo.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The silence he describes in the Barbados dressing room after winning the T20 World Cup... that really hits deep. You can only imagine what those players went through after so many near-misses. Respect to Dilip sir for being part of that journey. 🙏
Dilip sir's contribution to Indian cricket is underrated. The fielding medal idea was brilliant - it made every player feel valued, not just the ones taking spectacular catches. Small things like this build championship teams. Wishing him all the best!
Honestly, T Dilip not being retained after the UK tour is a bit surprising. The fielding standards under his coaching were world-class. But I guess the management has its own vision. Hopefully Subhadeep Ghosh can continue that legacy. Indian cricket owes Dilip sir a lot. 👏
"Dressing room silence after a big win" - only true sports fans understand this emotion. It's not about the celebration, it's about the journey. Dilip sir's words gave me chills. Sab log samajh sakte hain agar cricket ke saath dil se judey hain. ❤️
As someone who follows Indian cricket closely from abroad, I think Dilip's fielding medal culture was one of the most innovative coaching ideas I've seen. It's not just about individual brilliance but collective effort. India's fielding has been phenomenal since he took charge. Great legacy!
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