[Watch] Bowling coach Morne Morkel bowls to Indian batters ahead of BGT 2024-25 3rd Test
Former South African pacer and current Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel was seen bowling in the nets to Indian batters. The Men in Blue are preparing for the third Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), starting Saturday, December 14, at the Gabba in Brisbane.
After a dominant 295-run victory in the first Test, the visitors faced a tough challenge in the second (pink-ball) Test. The Indian batters struggled in both innings, failing to reach 200 runs. Meanwhile, the hosts delivered a clinical performance, winning by 10 wickets and leveling the five-match series 1-1.
Ahead of the third Test, Morkel was observed helping the Indian batters fine-tune their skills as they look to bounce back in the series.
Here’s a video of Morne Morkel bowling in the nets:
Meanwhile, the 40-year-old retired from international cricket in 2018. The tall right-arm pacer claimed 309 wickets in 86 Test matches, including eight five-wicket hauls.
Morkel played six Tests in Australia, taking 23 wickets.
“We allowed the guys to leave a lot of balls” - Morne Morkel on India's bowling after Day 2 of 2nd 2024-25 BGT Test
The Indian bowlers were exceptional with their lines and lengths in the first Test of the 2024-25 BGT, but that wasn't the case in the second Test. Australia scored 337 runs in their first innings of the second Test.
After Day 2's play, Morne Morkel acknowledged that the Indian bowlers didn’t get their line and length right. He said via ICC:
“In the first Test match, our lines and lengths were exceptional, and I think that was the blueprint going for us, into this Test series. We wanted to bring stumps into play as much as we can, and I felt that last night with the ball moving around a bit. We missed that, we were slightly off the mark in finding the right length.”
"At times, we [India in the first innings] were a touch wide, so we allowed the guys to leave a lot of balls. If you look at the history of pink ball Tests, that time of night if you bowl [in those areas], then you can pick up wickets,” Morkel added.
The Indian bowlers will aim to learn from their mistakes and perform better in the third Test, with Jasprit Bumrah, who has taken 12 wickets in the first two Tests, expected to lead the attack.