Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 3 (ANI): Indian batter Rohit Sharma hailed former fielding coach T Dilip for his contributions to Indian cricket during his stint, which included two ICC T20 World Cup wins and the ICC Champions Trophy title win, saying that he “created magic within the group” and was a “workhorse” behind the scenes.
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. Meanwhile, India men’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate also stepped down following the white-ball tour of England in July and has since joined Kolkata Knight Riders as their Head of Cricket Strategy.
Taking to his Instagram, Rohit posted a picture with Dilip on his story, captioned, “You are a legend Dillip guru. You created magic within the group and a behind the scenes workhorse. Best wishes ahead @dillip.tk.19”
During Dilip’s tenure as India’s fielding coach, India made a lot of progress as a fielding side. The fielding medal ceremony, which crowned the ‘Best Fielder of the Match’ after every match, gained a lot of popularity since it started during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, with KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma being among the winners. The medal was given with the motive to encourage a better fielding culture within the Indian team and make players take risks and be at their athletic best while fielding.
Taking to Instagram, Dilip posted a parting note, saying that “it is difficult to find the right words for a journey that has meant so much.” He also expressed his gratitude for being able to contribute as India’s fielding coach and said that he will carry the memories that came with his stint forever, especially the fielding medal presentation ritual.
“Five years. It is difficult to find the right words for a journey that has meant so much. When I first walked into this setup, I came in with one simple intention, to give everything I had every single day. Fielding has always been my way of contributing to the game I love, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have played a part in this team’s journey,” he posted.
“The fielding medal will always hold a very special place in my heart. Seeing the excitement it created in the dressing room, the smiles it brought and the value the players attached to it are memories I’ll carry with me forever,” he added.
“I will always cherish being part of: Two ICC Men’s T20 World Cup triumphs (2024 & 2026), ICC Champions Trophy triumph (2025), Two Asia Cup triumphs (2023 & 2025), Runners-up at the ICC World Test Championship & ICC Men’s Cricket ODI World Cup (2023), Several unforgettable journeys on the world stage. A heartfelt thank you to the BCCI @indiancricketteam for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to serve Indian cricket,” he continued.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbkg-_vRXlA/
He thanked Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir, who served as head coaches during his tenure, for placing their trust in him and also to Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who captained the side across various formats during his tenure.
“And to every player, coach and member of the support staff… thank you. The memories we’ve created together will stay with me for the rest of my life. As this chapter comes to a close, I’ll always be grateful that, for five unforgettable years, I had the honour of wearing the India badge. Forever grateful. The journey continues,” he signed off.
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. Before the series gets underway, the visitors will play a three-day practice match in Colombo from August 7. (ANI)
Related reading
