Former India fielding coach T Dilip believes Virat Kohliโs intensity remains one of his biggest strengths on the field. He said that the former captain continues to raise the standards of those around him, adding that the cricketer does change between training sessions and matches. He further lauded the Delhi cricketer, pointing to his willingness to remain involved even when the ball is away from him.
“When it comes to Virat Kohli, intensity is non-negotiable. You have seen in power play how he is at your batsman at covers or short mid-wicket with his reflexes, with his dives, with his stops. Even in the last series, he was putting those dives and sharp at you all the time,” Dilip said in a video shared by Star Sports.
For Dilip, Kohliโs impact is not limited to his direct fielding contributions. He highlighted the effort the former captain makes between deliveries, including moving towards the non-striker to collect throws and return the ball to the wicketkeeper.
โBut what impressed me most is not the actions what he does when the ball is at him but also when the ball is not at him. You will see him running towards the non-striker and to take that throw and throwing back to the wicketkeeper,โ Dilip explained.
How does Kohli influence teammates?
Kohliโs willingness to take demanding positions late in an innings was another aspect that stood out to Dilip. He said the batter continues to put himself in the deep during the final overs. He also believes that attitude has a wider effect on the group, with Kohliโs intensity encouraging other fielders to push their own limits.
โEven at this juncture of his career, even today he goes to long on to long on in last overs and he is the first one to run out. And that’s a fabulous thing to do as a team. The intensity is always contagious when he is around. With Virat Kohli, one thing you always see is there is not much difference between him in a practice session or a match. And that’s very, very important because it’s just not Virat Kohli who’s fielding. There are five other players who are fielding with him who have stretched their limits when they are doing with Virat Kohli. That is the influence he has on the group actually,โ Dilip added.
Meanwhile, Dilip joined Indiaโs national setup in November 2021 and signed off as fielding coach early this month. His tenure included Indiaโs T20 World Cup victories in 2024 and 2026, the 2025 Champions Trophy and Asia Cup triumphs in 2023 and 2025. India also finished runners-up at the 2023 ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship during his stint.
His contract was not renewed after Indiaโs T20I tour of Zimbabwe, with Subhadeep Ghosh replacing him as fielding coach.
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