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Former England captain Michael Vaughan took a cheeky dig at India’s fielding standards after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) invited applications for the position of fielding coach for the Senior Women’s National Team. The announcement caught Vaughan’s attention, prompting him to respond with a tongue-in-cheek remark on social media.
His response comes at a time when India’s fielding performances have attracted considerable criticism. The team has struggled to hold on to catches across recent assignments, with several missed opportunities proving costly during important matches.
The BCCI has set November 16, 2026, as the deadline for applications for the women’s fielding coach position. The board is also looking to appoint a head physiotherapist for the Senior Men’s National Team, with applications invited for both support staff roles. Reacting to the announcement on X, Vaughan jokingly expressed his interest in the vacant position. “I will be the fielding coach,” the former England captain wrote, taking an apparent dig at India’s recent catching problems.
His remark comes after India Women endured a difficult campaign at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. The team dropped 10 catches across five group-stage matches, including three against South Africa, where Marizanne Kapp received multiple lifelines and made India pay. India eventually suffered a group-stage exit, with its fielding coming under widespread scrutiny.
The fielding concerns continued during India’s subsequent series against Zimbabwe. The team dropped four catches in the three-match T20I series before missing another four opportunities in the opening ODI. Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh dropped two catches, including a regulation opportunity behind the stumps, while Deepti Sharma and Kranti Gaud also missed chances. India additionally failed to convert a couple of run-out opportunities during the series.
Although India completed a 3-0 sweep in the ODI series, the repeated errors highlighted an area that still needs attention. Head coach Amol Muzumdar had also acknowledged the team’s shortcomings after the World Cup, stressing the need to improve across batting, bowling and fielding.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.