‘The spacing between the fielders has to be very fine’: T Dilip flags slip-catching challenge for India in Sri Lanka

New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) As India prepare for their upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka, former fielding coach T Dilip has identified precision in slip positioning as one of the key areas that could influence India’s catching efficiency, particularly with the contrasting demands posed by fast bowlers and spinners.

Dilip, who recently completed a nearly five-year stint with the Indian team, stressed that slip fielding cannot rely simply on reflexes. The distance between the wicketkeeper and the slip cordon, as well as each fielder’s position relative to the batter, must be adjusted according to the bowler and the nature of the delivery.

Dilip pointed to the Afghanistan series as an example of the kind of detailed positioning required when setting a slip cordon against spin. The objective, he explained, is to anticipate the trajectory of the finer edges rather than simply reacting after the ball has passed the bat.

“The important factor is that the spacing between the fielders has to be very fine because the ball comes faster in the slip region while fielding to fast bowlers. You may not have time to really go wide on your lateral side. And for the spinners, I think, with most of the spinners, we saw how Shubman placed them in the Afghanistan series.

“It’s like, how would you place yourself, the gap between your keeper and slip, to take those finer edges which go on to your left side? And also, based on the turn, how fast or slow it is coming, how much you should stand away from the batter or not, will be key,” Dilip told JioStar.

The distinction becomes particularly important in conditions where spin is expected to play a significant role. Unlike deliveries from quicks, where the ball can travel sharply towards the cordon, edges off spinners can vary considerably depending on the degree and speed of turn.

With India heading into another Test assignment, the former fielding coach’s assessment places the spotlight on an aspect of the game that can often be overlooked amid discussions around bowling attacks and batting line-ups. For India, getting those small positional details right could prove crucial in converting edges into wickets during the Sri Lanka tour.

–IANS

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