The national team’s coach T. Dilip will be leaving the Indian team’s support staff after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided not to renew his contract. He is expected to be formally released when India go to Sri Lanka next month, ending his five-year stint with the national team.
Subhadeep Ghosh, who is currently with the Centre of Excellence (CoE), is likely to replace Dilip as the position will be vacated. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that Dilip’s one-year tenure had expired.
BCCI Decides Against Contract Renewal
Now, Dilip’s latest contract has come to an end and the BCCI have decided not to renew his contract. His last stint with India was in their recent tour of England, and the board decided to change the job of the fielding coach.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed this, stating that Dilip’s one-year extension had expired. The ex-fielding coach was not immediately available for comment after the decision.
Subhadeep Ghosh Emerges as Replacement
Subhadeep Ghosh has become the top contender for Dilip’s seat. Ghosh is a part of the Centre of Excellence set-up and has already worked with the senior Indian team, having travelled to Zimbabwe as fielding coach.
He knows the Indian setup and should be able to make the transition relatively easily. Ghosh would be the next recruit to join head coach Gautam Gambhir’s fold.
Dilip’s Five-Year India Tenure
In 2021, Dilip joined Rahul Dravid’s team as the fielding coach of India replacing R Sridhar. During Dravid’s time, he was with Paras Mhambrey and Vikram Rathour in the bowling and batting departments, respectively.
Dilip is the only one from Dravid’s original team to stay with the team when Gambhir was appointed head coach in 2024. He was retained on the recommendation of former India captain Rohit Sharma and remained in the job under the new coaching regime.
Temporary Extension Came Last Year
Dilip’s first contract with Gambhir was to expire in May 2025. The BCCI later gave him a provisional extension of one year, though, so he could remain with the national team.
That extension allowed Dilip to stay on the Indian support staff during their recent international tours, such as England. The BCCI has now opted for a different strategy with the extension now complete.
Fielding Came Under Scrutiny
Dilip’s job had been under a microscope since a string of poor catches by the Indian side in recent tours. India’s form against Ireland and England was not as good as usual and there were doubts about the team’s catching and fielding.
A number of factors affect the fielding, but the additional opportunities he had to play under pressure. His current contract will expire after the BCCI has decided to not renew it.
Second Support Staff Departure
Dilip’s exit will be the second significant shakeup in India’s support staff in a span of few days. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had previously resigned and left another void in Gambhir’s coaching staff.
The changes suggest that India’s support staff is in a major transformation. The coaching staff led by Gambhir will be slightly different with Ghosh joining them in the coming assignments.
Ghosh Set to Join Gambhir’s Team
If the scheduled appointment is fulfilled, Ghosh will be a part of an already established coaching team that comprises of Sitanshu Kotak as batting coach and Morne Morkel as bowling coach. He has played at the senior level before, so he should be able to get used to the position.
The formal changes are expected to be completed when India travel to Sri Lanka early next month. Ghosh could then start to work with the players ahead of the team’s next Test commitments.
End of Dilip’s India Journey
Dilip’s absence will spell the end of a fruitful era with the Indian team. He played under two different head coaches and stayed with the team through a big change of guard from Dravid to Gambhir.
The BCCI move opens up the possibility of a new fielding coach for India, as they seek to beef up their support staff. The next step in India’s coaching structure may start during the Sri Lanka tour with Ghosh being the front-runner.
