NEW DELHI: Former India fielding coach T Dilip has revealed what made Virat Kohli stand apart on the field, even at this stage of his career, describing the star batter’s intensity as a quality that continues to push everyone around him to raise their standards.Reflecting on Kohli’s influence during his five-year stint with the Indian team, Dilip said there was little difference between the former captain’s approach during training and in matches — a trait that had a direct impact on his teammates.
‘The intensity is always contagious’
“When it comes to Virat Kohli, intensity is non-negotiable. You have seen in power play how he is at your batsman at covers or short mid wicket with his reflexes, with his dives, with his stops. Even in the last series he was putting those dives and sharp at you all the time,” Dilip said in a video shared by Star Sports.What impressed him most, however, was that Kohli’s intensity was not limited to moments when the ball came his way.“But what impressed me most is not the actions what he does when the ball is at him but also when the ball is not at him. You will see him running towards the non-striker and to take that throw and throwing back to the wicket keeper,” Dilip explained.Dilip also highlighted Kohli’s willingness to put himself in demanding fielding positions even late in an innings.“Even at this juncture of his career, even today he goes to long on to long on in last overs and he is the first one to run out. And that’s a fabulous thing to do as a team,” he said.According to Dilip, Kohli’s biggest contribution was the effect his approach had on the players around him.“The intensity is always contagious when he is around. With Virat Kohli one thing you always see is there is not much difference between him in a practice session or a match. And that’s very, very important because it’s just not Virat Kohli who’s fielding. There are five other players who are fielding with him who have stretched their limits when they are doing with Virat Kohli. That is the influence he has on the group actually.“
‘Barbados 2024 ’ remains Dilip’s most cherished memory
Dilip, who signed off as India’s fielding coach early in this month after a memorable five-year tenure, also picked India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados as his most cherished moment with the team.“If I have to go back to my best moment, I think Barbados 2024. The silence for few seconds before it broke. I think in that silence I could sense the amount of hard work the boys have put in that four years. And I’ll always keep that frame in my mind,” he said.Dilip also took pride in how the fielding medal ceremony, introduced during the 2023 ODI World Cup, changed the team’s attitude towards fielding. Rather than rewarding only spectacular catches, the ceremony recognised contributions across the field.“What I thought was to recognize the impact overall as a fielder than just a spectacular catch. But what it brought in is then all the 11 players on the field that we may not be in the hot spot, but a little contribution would get me that award,” Dilip said.“Players started to notice small things they act on the field. They celebrated when their other teammates did. Because end of the day, fielding medal is a team award and players embraced it. Fans actually supported it. But I think overall, fielding did get the recognition what it deserved the most.”Dilip’s tenure coincided with one of India’s most successful periods across formats, with the team winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 and 2026 and the Champions Trophy in 2025. He also witnessed India’s Asia Cup triumphs in 2023 and 2025, while the team finished runners-up at the 2023 ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship.Having joined the national set-up in November 2021, Dilip’s contract was not renewed after India’s T20I tour of Zimbabwe, with Subhadeep Ghosh replacing him as fielding coach.
