[Watch] Morne Morkel bowls to KL Rahul in the nets ahead of 2024 2nd IND vs NZ Test
India’s fast bowling coach Morne Morkel rolled his arm after a year gap ahead of the second Test against New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Wednesday, October 23. Morkel bowled to under-fire KL Rahul in the nets after the latter struggled against William O’Rourke in the first Test.
The Kiwi pacer dismissed Rahul caught behind by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell in both innings of the first Test. The latter departed for scores of duck and 12, putting a question mark on his place in the XI for the second fixture.
Watch the video below:
Notably, KL Rahul has failed to stay consistent after his return to Tests following his injury during the England tour of India. The wicketkeeper-batter returned with scores of 16, 22*, and 68 against Bangladesh in the recently concluded Test series.
“Relive some of the old battles and memories” – Morne Morkel expresses his delight at bowling to KL Rahul
Morne Morkel further expressed his delight at bowling to KL Rahul in the nets that helped him reminisce about his old days. The 40-year-old added that he would help India in the nets during the upcoming Test series in Australia and England. He told the BCCI:
“I need to remind myself that I am 40 and not 20 or 23 anymore. I haven’t bowled, the last time I bowled was a year ago. The boys sort of asked when I joined [team] if I am still fit enough to bowl, I said, ‘don’t worry, the day will come.’
“The day when I arrived here [in Pune] there was live grass, I first started bowling to Siraj and couple of balls nipped. And then when KL walked in, I said let me get some bowling shoes and just relive some of the old battles and memories.”
Morkel continued:
“I had to really walk back to my mark. A lot of conversations and self-talk to calm down. The last thing that you want is to get injured, pull hamstring. So, I allowed myself to bowl big no balls. Obviously, injury prevention was the main key for me.
“I have bowled too many overs in India that reminded me that the surface is hard and slow and low. Don’t be silly. So, definitely, England and Australia where there’ll be a little more assistance, whenever if I can get an opportunity, I would like to bowl.”
Morne Morkel has picked up 544 wickets for South Africa across formats.