R. Sridhar of Coaching Beyond and former India fielding coach revealed that T. Dilip refused to apply for a fielding coaching assignment with Andhra Ranji team a few years ago despite a heavy pay packet offered.
“He told me that his focus was only on joining NCA one day,” Sridhar said at a felicitation function put up by Coaching Beyond here on Friday.
“Later, when once I informed him to apply for the Indian fielding coach assignment, he politely enquired whether I was joking. But, when he did eventually, Dilip fared better than Jonty Rhodes in the interview and joined the India-A under Rahul Dravid mentorship. The rest is history,” Sridhar said amidst applause.
“It is sheer hard work and the way Dilip has crossed the obstacles is truly inspirational. Importantly, he moved step by step in his 20-year-long career and scaled the summit as Indian team fielding coach, being part of the T20 World Cup winning squad,” he added.
“I am glad to be here in the presence of two gentlemen (Man Singh and Dilip) who created those magical moments in the 1983 World Cup and the 2024 T-20 World Cup respectively,” Sridhar said.
P.R. Man Singh, manager of the 1983 World Cup winning Indian team, appealed to the Telangana Government to felicitate T. Dilip, fielding coach of the Indian team which won the T20 World Cup in West Indies recently.
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“Dilip, is also one more Hyderabadi apart from Mohammed Siraj, who had immensely contributed to Rohit Sharma-led team’s victory recently. It is good that Siraj was felicitated but we should recognise the kind of efforts these support staff like Dilip put up behind the scenes,” Man Singh, who was the chief guest, said.
Reflecting on the reference made to his contribution to Kapil Dev’s World Cup victory, Man Singh said as far as Kapil’s memorable catch to send back Sir Viv Richards in the final was concerned, it was all because of the captain’s efforts and that he had nothing to do.
“Unlike now, when someone like Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav take those brilliant catches, it is because of all the hard work of many members of the squad, especially support staff,” he said.
Responding to the felicitation, Dilip said he felt great to be on the right side of the result after years of hard work, passion in what had been a “truly incredible journey”.
“A failure doesn’t define. You have to keep coming back strongly backed by solid efforts,” he said.
“I owe a lot to John Sir (K. John Manoj, former HCA Secretary and co-founder of Coaching Beyond), R bhai (former India fielding coach R. Sridhar) and all my fellow coaches and players for their great support over the years,” Dilip said. “R Bhai always guided me whenever I looked up to him,” Dilip concluded.
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