In T Dilip and Ryan ten Doeschate, India had no shortage of fielding expertise in their coaching setup, yet fielding has emerged as a significant Achilles’ Heel in recent times. Their catching efficiency dipped abysmally: so much so, that even Zimbabwe – ranked 12th in T20Is – outperformed Gautam Gambhir’s side on that measure. Poor catching wasn’t necessarily the sole reason for India’s disappointing tour of the UK recently, but there is little doubt that the team has slipped from its once-enviable status as one of the top three fielding sides in the world.
R Sridhar, former India fielding coach, under whom the team developed into one of the world’s finest outfits, says: “Fielding is part of a team’s culture; it cannot be developed overnight. The most important ingredient is the players.” Sridhar adds, “While it is the coach’s responsibility to prepare and plan, the ownership ultimately rests with the players.” That, in turn, raises an obvious question: how many of the current new-generation cricketers are genuinely committed to the grind required for elite fielding standards? There has been some chatter that during the recent four-team multi-day emerging sides tournament involving 64 players at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), several players frequently sought reasons to leave the field.
Beyond the question of intent, the numbers also paint a worrying picture. Since June, India have dropped 28 catches across their men’s international fixtures: four in the Test against Afghanistan, one in the ODI series against Afghanistan, six in the two T20Is in Ireland, five in the five-match T20I series against England, two in the T20Is against Zimbabwe, and ten in the recent UK tour. The overall catching efficiency during this period stood at a modest 76.8 per cent.
The Zimbabwe series, in particular, exposed India’s fielding frailties. The visitors managed a catching efficiency of just 64.2 per cent, taking 18 catches while spilling 10. Zimbabwe, in contrast, recorded an impressive 92.3 per cent, taking 12 catches and dropping only one. Sridhar also underscored another factor affecting fielding standards. “Frequent changes in personnel are another challenge. The fitter the player, the better the fielder,” he said.
The frequent change of personnel lends credence to Sridhar’s point. Since the end of IPL 2026, India have used 35 players across 17 internationals in all three formats. The breakdown comprises 20 players in 10 T20Is, 18 in six ODIs, besides the XI that featured in the one-off Test against Afghanistan. The constant changes have also seen eight players make their international debuts during this period.
Fielding, of course, will be an important factor in Sri Lanka where India play two Tests. With spin expected to be the primary weapon, close-in catching will be paramount. Circling back to ten Doeschate and Dilip: one has already joined an IPL franchise, while the other is expected to sign elsewhere. As for Dilip, whose contract was not renewed by the BCCI, he is unlikely to remain out of work for long.
Former Irish player John Mooney, fielding coach of Delhi Capitals and currently coaching the Southern Brave side in The Hundred, offers a broader perspective on the issue. “I’m not just talking about Indian players; I’d extend it to much of Asian cricket. It’s not their fault; it’s simply the culture they grow up in. South Asian players are exceptionally skilled cricketers, but if I asked Mitchell Starc to kick or catch an Australian Rules football, I know he’d be able to do it because he grew up playing a variety of sports. I don’t know his background, so I can’t say this for certain, but I doubt he grew up playing four or five different sports at school.”
Mooney emphasizes that being a good fielding side is about mindset. “It’s an interesting question because humans are humans and they are always vulnerable to mistakes. A good fielding side is one that minimizes those mistakes through repetition and focus. I always talk about the value of one run. If every fielder who goes out on the field says, ‘I’m going to save one run,’ that adds up to 10-15 runs saved per match, which is often the difference between winning and losing.”
Regarding the coaching approach, Mooney explains: “A lot of it is done one-on-one, if I’m being honest. It’s about getting into the players’ minds and understanding how they process pressure. The key is understanding a player’s mindset and what goes through his mind in that situation. Technique is the most important thing. If a player has good technique, he generally has all the basics in place to do the job consistently.”
When asked about the role of fitness, Mooney notes: “Fitness is certainly an aspect, but in my opinion the most important thing is mental discipline—your mindset. Take a high-pressure catch in the final over; in those situations, fitness isn’t really the issue. The question is whether the player is still thinking about the ball or if his mind has wandered. Fitness matters because you want to be as quick and as strong as possible, so you can get to the ball quickly and maintain your intensity throughout the day.”
Addressing the Indian team specifically, Mooney says: “Look, there are some really good coaches in India and with the Indian team, and I don’t want to get into nitpicking. What I don’t believe—and this is just my opinion—is that they give fielding the attention it deserves. A top-order batter might spend three hours in the nets batting, but only 15 minutes on fielding. I think the disparity between working on their core skills and working on their fielding is simply too great. I would like to see that balance shift.”
Ultimately, the issue is interconnected. Players naturally focus on improving their batting or bowling, but in the process, they can sometimes neglect their fielding. It is a combination of skill, technique, and mental application. As Mooney concludes, catching a cricket ball isn’t easy, and even the best players need to maintain a high level of intensity to ensure that their fielding remains an asset rather than a liability in the modern game.
It is difficult to devise player-specific and position-specific fielding plans or assign specialised roles when the playing XI keeps changing.
With spin expected to be the dominating factor, close-in fielding and slip catching will be crucial, making it a challenging first assignment for new fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh.
Having received unequivocal backing from Rohit Sharma, the former India fielding coach is expected to land an IPL role soon.
It is learnt that he is in talks with a few franchises that have multiple teams across leagues, which means he is likely to remain just as busy as he was with the Indian team.
He weighs in on the subject and reflects on what makes an excellent fielder, builds a good fielding side and what ails Indian fielding.
But ultimately, I think a good fielding side is made up of 11 players who are willing to fight for each other and do whatever it takes to be competitive and save every single run.
I’m going to be disciplined, do what I have to do and stay focused’ — then, if all 11 players are in that frame of mind, that is what produces a good fielding side.
Some are naturally nervous, while others are very confident.
He might have just finished an over and moved to a 45-degree position because he may not be the strongest fielder.
In a 50-over game, players obviously need to be fit, but ultimately you have to be mentally strong enough to do the right thing.
You have to be in the right frame of mind, expecting the ball to come to you every time.
I believe training should be more proportionate.
If a player spends an hour or an hour and 20 minutes in the nets during a two-hour session, then he should also devote another 10 to 20 per cent of that time to fielding to ensure he is properly prepared.
Even something as simple as picking up a ball rolling towards you can become difficult if you’re playing in a packed stadium, in a big match, with a lot on the line.
Then you need the mental awareness to understand what you’re doing and be comfortable doing it.
Younger players often struggle because they haven’t experienced big stadiums, big crowds or high-pressure games.
Fundamentally, though, if you don’t have the technique and you don’t have confidence in yourself, you’re going to come unstuck.
If you’re fielding in the covers and the ball is hit hard at you, you want both feet on the ground, a strong base and to be in a position to receive the ball cleanly.
My philosophy is to make things as easy as possible for yourself because, if you do that, the results will usually follow.
When it comes to ground fielding, footwork is absolutely everything.
The players with the quickest and best footwork, who get themselves into the right positions, will almost always produce the best results.
Throwing is another area that’s a bit of a bugbear for me, especially in Ireland.
But one thing they do exceptionally well in America is teach children how to throw from a very young age.
Throwing should be a fundamental part of a youngster’s development.
He should be capable of producing a really powerful throw by then.
But I do feel social media and similar distractions have affected the attention spans of many young people.
In my opinion, social media has definitely had an impact on the attention span of this generation.
I’m sure there’s scientific research on it, although I can’t say that for a fact.
We spent time together as a group, even on the team bus.
If you get on a team bus now, there’s very little conversation or sharing of ideas.
Everybody is in their own bubble, looking at their phones with earphones on.
People will say that 30 years ago we didn’t do that.
We were more alert and more engaged with the game.
I would 100 per cent agree with that thought.
I was a teenager then, and I still remember watching them.
It is 100 per cent a matter of culture.
Believe it or not, he was a wicketkeeper when he was a kid before growing into one of the world’s premier fast bowlers.
His catching technique is outstanding and, above all, he has a real desire to win.
More broadly, if you take a typical Australian cricketer, he has probably also played rugby, hockey, soccer or Australian Rules football while growing up.
It improves your peripheral vision, your speed and your ability to move in different directions — sideways, backwards and forwards.
Cricket, by comparison, is a very linear game.
That broad sporting background helped make him the outstanding fielder he became.
He probably focused mainly on cricket.
