T. Dilip, the fielding coach of India’s T20 World Cup winning team, was recently felicitated for his contributions to the team’s success. The felicitation was organized by Coaching Beyond, a coaching institute, where former India fielding coach R. Sridhar shared an inspiring anecdote about Dilip’s journey. Sridhar revealed that Dilip had refused a lucrative coaching assignment with the Andhra Ranji team years ago, focusing instead on joining the National Cricket Academy (NCA). He later went on to successfully interview for the Indian fielding coach role, outperforming even Jonty Rhodes.
Sridhar emphasized Dilip’s dedication and hard work, highlighting his steady climb to the summit as the Indian team’s fielding coach. He recognized Dilip’s role in the T20 World Cup winning squad, calling it a testament to his consistent efforts over his 20-year-long career.
P.R. Man Singh, manager of the 1983 World Cup winning Indian team, echoed Sridhar’s sentiments, appealing to the Telangana Government to felicitate Dilip for his significant contributions. He drew a parallel between Dilip and Mohammed Siraj, another Hyderabadi who played a crucial role in the team’s recent victory, highlighting the importance of acknowledging the efforts of support staff.
Reflecting on his own contribution to the 1983 World Cup victory, Man Singh clarified that his role was minimal compared to the modern-day support staff, who play a pivotal role in enhancing the skills and performance of players. He emphasized that achievements like Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav’s brilliant catches were a result of the hard work of the entire squad, especially the support staff.
Responding to the felicitation, Dilip expressed his gratitude for the recognition and the opportunity to be on the winning side after years of dedicated work. He highlighted the importance of resilience, emphasizing that failures should not define individuals and that one must keep striving for success.
Dilip acknowledged the crucial role of support and guidance from various individuals throughout his career, particularly mentioning K. John Manoj, former HCA Secretary and co-founder of Coaching Beyond, and R. Sridhar, his mentor. He concluded by expressing his immense gratitude to all the coaches and players who have supported him over the years.
