T Dilip: 'IPL hasn't hurt Indian fielding, it's transformed it'

In part two of his interaction with Cricbuzz, T Dilip, who served as India's fielding coach for four years, goes in-depth into the different aspects of the skill. He also speaks about the impact of the IPL on fielding and the problems ailing modern-day cricket.

With catching, we look at the player’s starting position, how early he picks up the ball, whether his head remains stable and how his hands move in relation to his body. The requirements also change according to the position. A slip catch, a high outfield catch and a flat catch inside the circle are very different skills. Ground fielding begins before the ball is struck. The player must anticipate, remain balanced and make an efficient first movement. Reaching the ball is not enough.

He should ideally arrive under enough control to complete a clean pick-up and prepare the throw. When we work on throwing, it is not only about power. Speed of release, accuracy and decision-making are equally important. The player’s likely match position guides the training. I would not give a slip fielder, an inner ring fielder and a boundary fielder the same programme. The fundamentals remain connected, but the practice must reflect the specific situations each player is most likely to face.

The other advantage is that children who play multiple sports learn how to solve different movement problems. Fielding is unpredictable. The ball will not always arrive at the same height, speed or angle, so adaptability becomes extremely useful. Of course, playing other sports alone will not make someone a complete fielder. Cricket still has its own specific skills: reading the bat, judging the trajectory of a cricket ball, understanding different surfaces, picking up cleanly and throwing accurately.

Without any doubt, the IPL has had a positive influence on Indian fielding. It has completely changed the importance given to that part of the game and the standards young Indian players are exposed to. A young cricketer can enter an IPL dressing room and suddenly train alongside some of the world’s finest fielders. He observes how they prepare, how seriously they approach every ball and how they remain involved even when they have not batted or bowled. That kind of exposure can accelerate a player’s development tremendously.

Yes, recent data has shown some fluctuation in catching efficiency, and that deserves detailed analysis. But overall, for me, the IPL has not hurt Indian fielding, it has transformed it. It has raised expectations, expanded the pool of capable fielders and shown an entire generation that fielding can make as much difference to a result as batting or bowling.

Are you surprised by how little data there is to measure fielding? We can measure the degree of swing for a fast bowler, but do not have enough public data to judge how quickly a fielder reaches the ball or his reaction time.

Fielding is more complex because position, distance, angle, surface, anticipation and decision-making are all involved in the same play. At the moment, catches and run-outs tell us only a small part of the story. We should be able to measure where the fielder was positioned when the ball was struck, his reaction time, the efficiency of his route to the ball and how quickly he moved from the pick-up into the release. For throws, we should look at velocity and accuracy, but also whether he chose the correct end. Even catching percentage needs to be understood in the right context.

A more athletic fielder may reach a very difficult ball and get a hand to it, only for it to be recorded as a dropped catch. Another fielder may not reach the same ball at all, so no drop is recorded against him. Ideally, every opportunity should be judged by its difficulty. The player’s reaction time, the distance covered, the speed of the ball, the direction in which he had to move and his position near the boundary. Ultimately, all these factors are also connected to that player’s athletic ability. The same applies to runs saved. If a fielder restricts a shot that would normally produce two runs to a single, that contribution should be visible. Over a tournament, these small margins can become extremely significant.

It is always difficult for me to say that a player improved “under me” because the biggest credit must belong to the player. He may work with the Indian team, his state side, his IPL franchise and several coaches at different stages. A fielding coach becomes one part of that journey. If there is one area that gave me enormous satisfaction, it was the development of our bowling group as fielders.

What made me proud was not only the technical improvement. It was the change in ownership. They began taking genuine pride in saving a run, backing up a teammate or completing an important catch after bowling a difficult spell. So, rather than naming one player, I would give that appreciation to the entire bowling group. Watching them embrace fielding with that level of energy and selflessness was one of the most rewarding parts of my tenure.

Honestly, I would not say that any fielding skill is underestimated at the international level. At this level, everybody arrives with a great deal of awareness. But in any sport, there will always be areas in which we can keep improving. If I had to identify one, I would speak about the preparation a fielder makes before the ball is struck. It is not underestimated, perhaps, but it does not always receive the same attention as the visible outcome.

Anticipation is not guesswork. It develops from game awareness, knowledge of angles and remaining involved before every delivery. A good first step can turn a difficult stop into a routine one and a poor first step can make even a reachable ball appear impossible. So, I would not call it an underestimated skill. I would call it an area in which players at every level, from junior cricket to the international game, can continue finding small improvements.

I would not look at T20 cricket as a problem. In many ways, the format has taken fielding to a completely different level and expectations have increased. Players are quicker across the ground, boundary catching has become far more advanced and the speed of the pick-up and release has improved a lot.

But the modern schedule has certainly changed how players prepare. With matches, travel and recovery following one another so quickly, players focus primarily shifts more towards primary skills (Batting/Bowling). In franchise cricket, fielding practice may also be optional on certain days because every player has a different workload and recovery requirement. Therefore, the player can lose the volume and feel that good catching is required which in turn makes the first few catches in a match almost become his practice, which is not ideal.

The solution is not necessarily longer fielding sessions. It is to protect a small amount of consistent, high-quality catching work, even on optional days. It is important for players to take that ownership of preparation not only during a tournament but also during pre-tournament and off-season. Ultimately, consistent catching comes from consistent effort.

Even with the best players in the world, it is important to help them find the right feel and rhythm when they enter a new series or tournament. Catching is very much about touch and confidence. The ball may carry differently at a new venue, the wind and lights may alter its trajectory, and the player may be fielding in a different position or standing to a different bowler. A few focused repetitions help the hands and body adjust to those conditions. The coach’s role is therefore not always to correct something. Sometimes it is simply to prepare the player for the specific demands of that tournament.

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