T Dilip Reveals How Virat Kohli’s Relentless Intensity Pushes India Teammates To Their Limits

Former India fielding coach T Dilip believes Virat Kohli’s intensity on the field has a strong impact on the rest of the team. According to Dilip, Kohli’s approach encourages at least five other players to push themselves harder whenever they are fielding alongside him.

Dilip’s nearly five-year stint with the Indian team came to an end after the recent tour of England. During his time with the side, he saw Kohli’s commitment to fielding up close and said his ability to maintain the same energy during both practice sessions and matches had a major influence on India’s fielding standards.

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"When it comes to Virat Kohli, intensity is non-negotiable. You have seen him in the powerplay, how he is as a batsman, whether at cover or short mid-wicket, with his reflexes and with his dives, is admirable," Dilip told 'JioStar'.

"Even in the last series, he was putting in those dives and was sharp, always at you all the time.

"Even at this juncture of his career, he runs from long-on to long-on at either end during the death overs, and he is the first one to run out of the circle when the field is spread, and that's a fabulous thing to do for the team."

Dilip said Kohli’s influence is not limited to situations where the ball is coming directly towards him. He also noticed how Kohli wants to stay involved even when the ball is at another part of the field.

"But what impressed me more is not just the actions, what he does when the ball is at him, but also when the ball is not near him, he wants the ball in his hands," he said.

"With Virat Kohli, there is not much difference between him in a practice session and a match, because it's not just Virat; it's the five other players who have stretched their limits when they are fielding with Virat Kohli. That's the influence he brings into the group."

Dilip’s time as India’s fielding coach also included the team’s memorable T20 World Cup victory in 2024. He described the celebrations in Barbados as the best moment of his tenure.

"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 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," he said.

One of the biggest moments of that final was Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch to dismiss David Miller in the final over. Dilip recalled that he initially stayed calm as he tried to work out whether the catch had been completed legally.

"For the first few seconds, I was silent and calm physically because my mind was doing all the calculations, whether Surya had taken that ball cleanly, whether his feet were inside the boundary rope, whether he had popped the ball out in time.

"But once it was confirmed that it was a clean catch, there was a surge of emotions. But in the back of my mind, I also knew that the match had yet to be completed."

Dilip also credited the fielding medal introduced during his tenure for creating healthy competition within the team. The award gave players another reason to improve their fielding and compete with each other in a positive way.

With India preparing to tour Sri Lanka for a Test series, Dilip highlighted the importance of getting the small details right in the slip cordon. He said the distance between fielders can make a big difference, especially when facing both fast bowlers and spinners.

"The important factor is that the spacing between the fielders has to be very fine because the ball comes faster in the slip region while fielding to fast bowlers. You may not have time to really go wide on your lateral side," he said.

"And for the spinners, I think, with most of the spinners, we saw how Shubman placed them in the Afghanistan series. It's like, how would you place yourself, the gap between your keeper and slip, to take those finer edges which go on to your left side?" he noted.

"And also, based on the turn, how fast or slow it is coming, how much you should stand away from the batter or not, will be key."