IPL 2018: Three South African fast bowlers who we need to see in next year's IPL
The Indian Premier League has a certain allure about it which most cricketers just can't seem to resist. The huge pay packets do go a long way in giving cricketers an incentive to participate in the tournament but it has proven to be a battleground where the finest cricketers test their skills against each other.
The attention goes to the batsmen a lot of the time but bowlers deserve just as much credit and admiration. Royal Challengers Bangalore learnt this lesson the hard way during the early stages of the tournament. They currently have one of the most dominant batting lineups in the tournament but their poor bowling cost them several key matches.
This was something which Virat Kohli himself acknowledged and it is perfectly clear that the team has placed attention on resolving this issue. Their bowling has improved tremendously as the tournament has progressed and their previous two matches just prove this fact.
One thing which has been very noticeable during this year's tournament is that the importance of quality fast bowlers is something which teams cannot ignore. Another thing which fans would have noticed is the shortage of South African fast bowlers in this year's tournament. This is particularly surprising as South Africa has some of the top fast bowlers in World Cricket at the moment and not having them feature in this tournament has been a bit of a shocker. Lungi Ngidi impressed many people on debut for Chennai Super Kings and is certainly a player who they will want to keep. Chris Morris has also bowled well for his franchise when required. South Africa still has a lot to offer.
To be fair, there are a few valid reasons why some players were not selected. Nonetheless, this article will look at three South African fast bowlers who simply need to feature at next year's Indian Premier League tournament.
#1 Morne Morkel
Morne Morkel recently retired from international cricket after the Test series between South Africa and Australia but has shown that he still has a lot to offer any bowling attack. The tall fast bowler went unsold at the IPL auction this year but this is a mistake which should not be repeated during next year's IPL season.
Why Morne Morkel?
Nobody can deny the talent which Morne Morkel has. He often took the backseat in the South African squad to players such as Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander but there is no questioning his ability with the ball.
A lot of the current fast bowlers being selected would struggle to match Morkel's pace and bounce. This is something which would set him apart from other bowlers - particularly on Indian surfaces.
He showed signs of tremendous improvement in his bowling just before he retired. Many batsmen would have been relieved that Morkel took that decision to call it quits on his career and be delighted at not having to face him again.
This alone proves what a danger the man still is and why he should be brought back to terrorize batsmen yet again.