Mumbai: South African fielding great Jonty Rhodes has credited Virat Kohli with transforming India into a fitter and more athletic fielding unit, saying the former captain created a culture in which players could no longer afford to be weak links in the field.
Rhodes, whose spectacular run-out of Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq at the 1992 World Cup became one of cricket’s most iconic fielding moments, said India had evolved from a side with a handful of outstanding fielders into one where every player was expected to contribute.
The legendary fielder was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the jersey unveiling of the Rotterdam Dockers franchise in the European T20 Premier League. Rhodes is the co-owner of the franchise alongside Bollywood actor John Abraham.
Rhodes acknowledged MS Dhoni’s role in India’s transition but felt Kohli took the emphasis on fitness and fielding to another level.
“Dhoni was certainly somebody who showed that he had a lot of senior players who maybe weren’t going to focus that much on fielding. But with Virat Kohli, he insisted that you had to be fit and you had to be a good fielder,” Rhodes said.
“So I think we’ve seen the evolution in India from a team that had one or two great fielders to now a team where there’s nobody to hide, even the fast bowlers.”
According to Rhodes, modern cricket has made it virtually impossible for teams to carry poor fielders. Fast bowlers, once routinely stationed in positions where their fielding deficiencies could be protected, are now expected to make an impact.
“For a long time, in most cricket worldwide, the fast bowlers were the ones you had to hide somewhere. There were always three or four of them. Now they contribute just as much in the field,” he said.
“You can’t have one weak link because that could be the difference. In T20 cricket, it’s often down to the last ball or the last over. If everybody’s been doing their part in the field, it makes a massive difference.”
Few understand the value of fielding better than Rhodes. Asked to pick the most cherished moment from his collection of catches and run-outs, he chose his famous dismissal of Inzamam during the 1992 World Cup.
“The run-out of Inzamam in the World Cup in 1992 literally launched my career. So I’m obviously grateful to the umpire, Steve Bucknor, because it was just out,” Rhodes said.
Rhodes famously raced towards the stumps before diving through the air to break the wicket. He revealed that the extraordinary dismissal was born more out of instinct than practice.
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“That was just something that I’d never practised before and I never did it again. It was spur of the moment,” he said.
“I didn’t trust my accuracy, but I trusted my speed to get there.”
Another memorable dismissal that continues to follow Rhodes is his catch of Sachin Tendulkar at backward point in Durban.
“I think the one catch that I’m often reminded about was Sachin Tendulkar at backward point in Durban. Everyone says, ‘Jonty, did the ball bounce?’ I tell them, ‘No, it didn’t bounce. He was out’.”
For a man who helped redefine fielding, Rhodes sees Kohli’s fitness-driven Indian side as evidence of just how far that aspect of cricket has evolved.
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