It is no secret that Indian cricketers’ fielding standards have gone several notches higher in the last few years. Fielding is not a chore to the current generation of Indian cricketers; it is a skill as important as batting and bowling, and they enjoy it.
Team India’s fielding coach, R Sridhar, puts this improvement down to the change in mindset among Indian cricketers and their enhanced fitness standards.
“The biggest change I have seen in terms of the fielding culture in India is the mindset,” he said. “Earlier, fielding was something you did when you were not batting or bowling. But now it is considered to be a primary skill. The younger Indian cricketers know they can contribute to the team by just being good on the field. Plus, the fitness standards have improved, which also helps a lot in developing good fielders.”
Giving an insight into the current Indian team’s attitude towards fielding, Sridhar said, “What this team expects out of every individual is continuous improvement. It is the boys who are coming to me and saying, ‘I want to move on my left and get the throw right’ or ‘I want slip catches low on my right’. The players coming to me and telling me what exactly they want to achieve out of a practice session is a big positive from my perspective. It is a player-driven system and my job is to help them be the best they can be and reach their full potential while removing all the external interventions.
“The culture we have in this team is that no ball will pass you without your best effort. In our team, each guy brings something different to the table, making it a good fielding unit collectively. For instance, Virat brings in a lot of intensity and energy, Ajinkya brings the sharpness close-in. Shikhar brings the athleticism and someone else brings calmness. Good fielders hunt in packs,” India’s fielding coach said.
India’s slip cordon has been going through a lot of chop and change of late, mainly due to the change in the team combination or injury concerns. Sridhar said while the team would want a stable slip cordon, they also endeavour to prepare more fielders who can do the job if required.
“We would love to have a settled slip cordon but injuries are something we cannot control,” he said. “In Sri Lanka we saw that Shikhar got injured, then Vijay was out and Rahul came in the slips. We always have the luxury of having Virat and Ajinkya in the slip cordon as well. A settled slip cordon is something we aim for, but when it is not in our control, we try and have our best fielders there. We also have plans like having a left-hander in the outer slip for a left-handed batsman and vice a versa for a right-handed batsman.”
However, one man who has become a regular feature in the slips for India is, Ajinkya Rahane. He has been an extremely dependable fixture in the cordon, lapping up catches out of nowhere. Sridhar praised Rahane’s dedication, enthusiasm and skills for his growth in that area.
“Ajinkya is evolving into an excellent slip fielder. He has got that temperament and demeanour to be a good slip fielder. And most of all, he works really hard at slip catching. He takes 100 catches during practice. He is very specific about where he wants them and what he wants to do in the context of the match. He also has excellent understanding about the angles, the pace and the depth of the ball that is likely to come to him during a match. He is also developing a good perception of standing in the slips. Standing in the same position over a period of time gives a fielder the gift of perception, which is so vital for a close-in fielder along with the reflexes and the hand-eye coordination.”
