T Dilip brought a new method to help Indian players become sharper as a fielding unit.
India have lately stressed taking fielding standards to new heights and have been adopting various techniques to maintain fitness levels and raise the fielding bar. They introduced the Bronco Test to push fitness further, and the fielding coach, T Dilip, brought a new method to help Indian players become sharper as a fielding unit.
According to a report by the Times of India, Dilip introduced a new drill to help fielders improve at cutting the gaps on the field. Like a goalkeeper’s practice, he put a goalpost-sized safety net, and each fielder was tasked to protect the goal, like a goalkeeper does.
The report added that Dilip used new balls for this intriguing session, as they travel quicker through the air and make the job arduous for Indian cricketers. That meant players had to push their bodies, eventually helping them become more agile and understand how to react quickly.
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Each fielder had to take two sets of five catches and was changing guards, as they would do during their batting sessions in the nets. All players took part in the segment, with the fielders diving all around to pass the test and prove themselves up for the challenge.
The most impressive member of this newly introduced fielding method was India’s vice-captain, Shubman Gill. He took four diving catches, two on each side, to leave Dilip stunned, as he quipped, “You are making it a habit.”
Abhishek Sharma was initially surprised by the size of the goalpost, but he passed the test brilliantly, and so did Tilak Varma. Hardik Pandya missed one of the matches, but compensated for it with a stunner immediately to impress everyone around, including the fielding coach.
Rinku Singh struggled in the first half, but Gill guided him on how to catch with a better technique, and he bounced back sharply in the second set. Earlier, Rinku had won the fielding medal for hitting targets that were in three different sizes.
One was a full stump, the second was a half stump, while the third was a back roller, and 15 players were divided into two different groups and given three targets to hit, with a focus on improving stump hitting from a reasonable distance. Rinku passed the drill with flying colours and was awarded a fielding medal by the fielding coach.
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