India’s former fielding coach T Dilip believes the Indian Premier League has had a positive impact on Indian fielding. The IPL has definitely helped Indian cricket in raising their levels and fielding has been one of the improved areas since the inception of the tournament back in 2008.
Dilip joined India’s support staff setup in November 2021 under the tutelage of former head coach Rahul Dravid. Under Dilip’s tenure of four years, India’s fielding standards improved to new heights.
T Dilip said in an interview with Cricbuzz, “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.”
He added, “Technically, the competition has taken boundary fielding, relay work, pick-up and release, and throwing accuracy to another level. The smaller margins in T20 cricket have encouraged coaches and players to keep innovating.”
Speaking on India’s downfall in catching efficiency, Dilip concluded, “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.”
The former fielding coach also introduced the best fielder medal, which gained popularity during the ODI World Cup 2023. Under Dilip, India won the 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cups and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
