The five-time IPL champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), have confirmed that they are all set to reshuffle their coaching set-up. On Thursday, October 29, the franchise has officially parted ways with Carl Hopkinson, Lasith Malinga and Paras Mhambrey. Hopkinson was the fielding coach of the team. In modern-day T20 cricket, top-notch fielding is mandatory. So, there are high chances of seeing someone who has a brilliant track record as a fielding coach joining MI as their new fielding coach ahead of the IPL 2027 season.
Former Team India fielding coach T Dilip is definitely a well-qualified candidate for his role. Soon after the departures of Hopkinson, Malinga and Mhambrey, RevSportz reported that Dilip could join the Mumbai Indians as the replacement for Carl Hopkinson.
T Dilip is likely to join Mumbai Indians as their new fielding coach
Unlike the head coaches of the national sides, who used to get most of the limelight, field coaches remain mostly behind the scenes. But T Dilip, when he was on the staff of the India National Cricket Team, often caught the headlines for his unique methods to train the boys. He was very strict in the drills, but not strict enough to take the fun away from the practice. To keep the players attentive in the practice sessions, he used to introduce different types of drills during the fielding practice sessions.
With T Dilip in the coaching setup, the national side got multiple major successes in international cricket, including winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, 2026 T20 World Cup, and a Champions Trophy. He separated from the role after serving the team for about five years.
T Dilip served Team India for 5 long years
On the momentum of his departure from the national team, Dilip shared an emotional note from his official social media account. He expressed that from day one to the very last day with the team, he tried to offer the team everything he had.
“Five years. It’s difficult to find the right words for a journey that has meant so much. When I first walked into this setup, I came in with one simple intention: to give everything I had every single day. Fielding has always been my way of contributing to the game I love, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have played a part in this team’s journey,” Dilip wrote on his Instagram post.
“As this chapter comes to a close, I’ll always be grateful that for five unforgettable years, I had the honour of wearing the India badge. Forever grateful. The journey continues,” he added.
T Dilip has a good bond with Rohit Sharma
The 46-year-old is believed to have a great bond with Rohit Sharma. Dilip, for a large part of his journey with the Indian cricket team, had Rohit Sharma as the captain of India.
Rohit is no longer the captain of the Mumbai Indians as well, but he still influences the management. With the help of the former skipper, Dilip could join the IPL franchise before the IPL 2027 season.
