Rohit Sharma’s Advocacy Leads to Retention of T Dilip as Fielding Coach

MUMBAI: T Dilip, the former fielding coach for the Indian cricket team, is poised to rejoin the national squad under a one-year temporary extension, according to reports on Wednesday.

Initial indications suggested that Dilip’s contract, which was set to conclude in May, would not be renewed, as per sources within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Reportedly, a BCCI official, along with batting coach Abhishek Nayar and other support staff, had informed Dilip that his services would not be retained.

However, Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s intervention significantly altered the situation.

Despite his retirement from Test cricket, Sharma reportedly played a pivotal role in convincing both the BCCI and Gambhir to keep Dilip on board.

The Hyderabad-based coach, having previously collaborated with Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir, will accompany the team for the forthcoming series against England.

In related news, the India A squad has arrived in England and checked into their hotel in Kent. Pacer Akash Deep is expected to join them within the next couple of days.

The first unofficial Test match between India A and England Lions is scheduled from May 30 to June 2 in Canterbury. The main Indian Test team will depart from Mumbai on June 6.

The five-match Test series between England and India is scheduled to commence at Headingley, Leeds, on June 20. Subsequent matches will be held at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval.

India squad for England Tests:

Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akashdeep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.