Morne Morkel Joins Indian Cricket Team as Bowling Coach
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 14: Bowling coach Morne Morkel has praised the professionalism of Indian players and is eager to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Morkel joined the Indian team in Chennai ahead of his first assignment against Bangladesh in a two-match Test series.
In his illustrious career, Morkel was part of a star-studded bowling line-up and had memorable battles with Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He has also connected with various Indian players during his time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a player and coach.
Morkel is looking forward to using his experience to help the Indian team. He said, “I am looking forward to a great journey and time with India. For me, it is important to connect well with the guys. I have played a lot against some of the players. I have seen and connected with some of the guys in the IPL. The goal is to get an understanding of the guys, their strengths and their weaknesses. I was blown away by how they went about things, how they went with the things, and how professional they were. So that is a good sign.”
After an underwhelming performance against Sri Lanka in the ODIs, expectations are high for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, which will begin on Thursday. Morkel aims to protect and improve the system that operates within the team, which includes a mix of experienced and young talent.
He added, “I know there will be expectations of winning, and luckily, I have experienced that in my playing days. I can share that knowledge. When I was setting the plan, I reflected upon that we are so lucky to have quality senior players. The senior players lead the charge. It’s our responsibility to support them. Just give them the right sort of advice we can give. It’s a set-up that sort of operates by itself. So to protect that and better it is the goal.”
Under the new regime of head coach Gautam Gambhir, Morkel was named as the successor to Paras Mhambrey. India’s squad for the 1st Test against Bangladesh includes Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yash Dayal.
Doubts Revealed
Morne Morkel -: Morne Morkel is a former South African cricketer who was known for his fast bowling. He played for the South African national team and has now become a coach.
Bowling Coach -: A bowling coach is someone who helps cricket players improve their bowling skills. Bowling is when a player throws the ball to try to get the batsman out.
Test Series -: A Test series is a set of cricket matches played between two teams. Each match can last up to five days, and it’s considered the longest and most traditional form of cricket.
Bangladesh -: Bangladesh is a country in South Asia, next to India. It has its own national cricket team that competes in international matches.
Rohit Sharma -: Rohit Sharma is an Indian cricketer known for his excellent batting skills. He is one of the top players in the Indian cricket team.
Virat Kohli -: Virat Kohli is another famous Indian cricketer. He is known for being one of the best batsmen in the world and has also been the captain of the Indian cricket team.
