T Dilip became the fielding coach in 2021 and remained at helm till 2026.
Former India fielding coach T. Dilip has finally shed light on the ultra-popular fielding medal recognizing Indian fielders in the dressing room after a match for their brilliant efforts in the field. He has revealed that the idea to do so came from then-India captain Rohit Sharma and got the nod from then-head coach Rahul Dravid as well.
This medal was introduced in the Indian dressing room during the 2022-23 season and went to a whole different level during the ICC World Cup 2023, where the Men in Blue found creative ways to announce the winners after each match.
The practice has continued to date, and the initiative has led to India's fielding standards going up quite a few notches. It also played a huge role in India’s 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cup wins.
"It was during the Asia Cup that the idea first came to me, and I remember taking it to captain Rohit Sharma over breakfast. I had originally envisaged medals for all departments—batting, bowling, and fielding—and proposed the idea to Rohit. It was Rohit who suggested that batting and bowling always get recognized with the Player of the Match award, so it was important that we do something for fielding. That’s when we zeroed in on the fielding medal," Dilip said on RevSportz.
"The first day when we presented the medal is always going to be very special for me. It was something new, and none of us knew whether it would work. That the medal now has a life of its own makes the first day a cherished memory,” he added.
As seen by Suryakumar Yadav's incredible catch in the final over of the 2024 T20 World Cup final and Axar Patel's two incredible catches in the 2026 T20 World Cup semifinal, fielding meant the difference between victory and heartache, as India narrowly prevailed in both games.
T. Dilip also acknowledged that after Rohit Sharma improved the fielding medal concept, former head coach Rahul Dravid voluntarily approved it. Together, the three managed India's remarkable successes in consecutive World Cups in 2023 and 2024, where they only lost once.
"We went to Rahul Dravid, the head coach, and Rahul bhai, as always, was hugely supportive of the idea. For Rahul bhai, it was always team first, and this fitted in very well with his vision. However, I have to say none of us thought that it would become as big," said T. Dilip.
Dilip remained the Indian team’s fielding coach from 2021 to 2025 before returning for a one-year stint. He has been replaced by Subhadeep Ghosh after the recent Zimbabwe T20I series.