Latest news with #Morkel
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
For Jaiswal, time to take fresh guard at Old Trafford
As Yashasvi Jaiswal hit the nets at the Beckenham County Ground, India's bowling coach Morne Morkel rushed to the bowling end. Over the next thirty-odd minutes, the South African bowled to him at regular intervals. While Jaiswal looked at ease, picking up Morkel's line and length, it seemed to be a planned move to counter Jofra Archer, who dismissed the Indian batter in both innings of the Lord's Test. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, however, said there were no such plans, and Morkel bowled in the nets since Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep took rest. But after every few deliveries, Morkel walked up to Jaiswal and discussed a thing or two, and even after the former South African pacer went to the other end to monitor the other bowlers, Jaiswal had another long session, facing the local net bowlers. Jaiswal started the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with a century in Leeds and followed up with an 87 in Birmingham. However, things went awry at Lord's as he struggled to get going and fell to Archer on both occasions - for 13 and 0. More than the scores, his shot selection in the second innings drew flak. At a time when every run mattered, Jaiswal needed to hold fort. Going for an ambitious pull against Archer, he ended up offering a catch to Jamie Smith. Having been beaten by Chris Woakes a few times in the previous over seemed to have rattled him, as he was tempted to go for that pull shot While the social media went abuzz with fans raising questions about his temperament, former England fast bowler Stuart Broad, too, did not mince words. 'So, Jaiswal getting out, really bad shot, I'm surprised he just didn't look to cut it over the off-side. Suddenly England are like okay, we are in. He is the player who moves the scoreboard forward. In a low chase, when you are defending, if you come to bowl and you've got a Sehwag, Warner, the opening batters that can take the game away from you and they up 60 for none or one off ten, the game is sort of done,' Broad said on For The Love Of Cricket podcast. This, however, was not the first instance when a poor shot cost Jaiswal his wicket. At Edgbaston, as England captain Ben Stokes lured him into slashing outside the off-stump, he was caught behind. In the second innings, he was trapped leg before off a Josh Tongue delivery, while attempting a drive. As CricViz data shows, of the 233 runs that he has scored in the series so far, 77 have come through drives, while 51 through cuts, while he has left 49 deliveries in the six innings so far. However, he has fallen twice trying to play defensive shots on the backfoot, and drives on as many occasions. With the Old Trafford surface expected to be slightly easy-paced, it will be important for Jaiswal to value his wicket and be consistent. He looked promising in the nets. It's time to walk the talk.
India.com
11-07-2025
- Sport
- India.com
How Did Nitish Kumar Reddy Outshine Jasprit Bumrah And Mohammed Siraj At Lord's? Pat Cummins Is The Reason
Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy delivered a career-defining performance on Day 1 of the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 at Lord's, picking up two crucial wickets and emerging as the standout bowler in India's attack. While seasoned pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj struggled to break through, it was Reddy who stepped up, dismissing both Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in his very first over. Introduced into the attack in the 14th over by skipper Shubman Gill, Reddy made an instant impact. Duckett gloved a leg-side delivery into the keeper's hands, while Crawley edged a beauty that swung in and then nipped away. England, who were cruising at 62/0, were suddenly rattled at 83/2 before going on to finish at 251/4 at stumps. Reddy's final figures – 2/46 in 14 overs – were the most impressive among Indian bowlers on a day where swing and discipline were hard to come by. The Cummins Influence: IPL Lessons Fuel Test Success In the post-match interaction, Reddy didn't hesitate to credit Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins for the major improvements in his bowling. 'Pat is my captain, and he's been brilliant in Australia. I've asked him for tips, and he's always been generous with his insights,' Reddy said. 'I spoke to him during the IPL about how to bowl in Australia and England, and his advice really helped me build confidence.' Cummins' role, according to Reddy, wasn't limited to technical advice. It extended to nurturing self-belief and understanding conditions—something crucial for a young player on his first major overseas Test tour. The IPL has long been a platform for Indian youngsters to learn from global icons, and Reddy's evolution as a bowler is a testament to that model working seamlessly. Morkel's Mentorship: Crafting Consistency Equally pivotal in Reddy's development has been India's fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel. The former South African pacer has been working closely with Reddy over the past few weeks to refine his mechanics and harness his natural swing. 'We've been focusing on consistency,' Reddy explained. 'Since I get natural swing both ways, Morkel has helped me understand how to use it effectively without losing control. I've been putting in the hard yards over the past year, but it's only now that everything is beginning to click.' Morkel's mentorship, particularly in English conditions, appears to be yielding results. Reddy not only extracted more swing than Bumrah or Siraj but also showcased the composure of a seasoned campaigner. Backing the Selection: Silence the Critics Reddy's inclusion in the playing XI had raised eyebrows, with critics arguing India should have gone with a specialist bowler. But his performance at Lord's has not only justified the selectors' faith but also opened new discussions around India's bowling depth. He had shown glimpses of his potential during the Australia tour, where he picked up five wickets across nine innings. But the consistency was missing. After months of hard work, supported by strategic guidance from Cummins and Morkel, Reddy has seemingly bridged that gap.
NDTV
06-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Was Shubman Gill's Declaration Late? Coach Morne Morkel Explains Reason Behind Timing
Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj combined to devastating effects as India bagged three wickets before the end of play on Day 4 of the second Test against England. With 90 overs to bowl on Day 5 and just 7 wickets to pick, India have taken a strong step towards levelling the series 1-1. But, with rain threatening to wash out at least a part of the final day's play, there remains the threat of England escaping with a draw. When India's bowling coach Morne Morkel was asked if Gill could've declared early, he explained the logic behind the timing of the decision. Morkel said that the subject of the declaration was discussed for a long time. While the weather isn't something that is in any team's hands, the South African said that the team wanted to get into a comfortable position before ending the innings. The plan to bag a few of England's wickets before the end of play was also executed to perfection. "We did speak about it [timing of declaration] a lot during the day. It's still a good wicket, even our boys were batting quite comfortably there towards the back end. They were batting at 4-5 runs an over," Morkel said. "You can't control the weather. It was about getting ourselves into a comfortable position and having 20-25 overs at them tonight to take a few wickets. We got that, which is a bonus for us." In the match, Akash Deep replaced Jasprit Bumrah in the side as the latter was rested, putting more responsibility of veteran pacer Mohammed Siraj's shoulders. 'Very happy so far (with the performance of pacers). We had some good discussions after the last game. It is a pleasing sign (show in Bumrah's absence). Akash Deep is an attacking bowler, asking questions on the stumps. The England conditions suit him. He is running in at high pace and that is a good sign. The more confidence you give him the better he gets,' said Morkel after stumps on day four. Set a near-impossible 608-run target, England will need another 536 runs to win the Test on the final day. Siraj took a six-wicket haul in the first innings and got rid of Zak Crawley in the final hour on day five. The wickets were not coming his way of late but Morkel is happy that the hardworking pacer has got his due. 'Siraj he is a guy that I have lot of respect for. He pushes his body to the limit. He can try too hard at times and that can make you inconsistent. But he really puts his heart on his sleeve. He does the dirty job for the team and that doesn't reflect in the wickets column at times,' said the former South Africa fast bowler. Morkel also lauded captain Shubman Gill for his extraordinary run in the series thus far, having scored a double hundred and two hundreds in four innings. 'Very happy for Shubman. As captain on a big tour, coming to England, he has handled the expectations very well so far.'
Indian Express
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘Siraj pushes body to limit, doesn't get enough credit': Morkel hails pacer's effort in Bumrah's absence
Former South Africa pacer and current Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel sang praises for Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj after his hearty effort in the second India vs England Test at Edgbaston and said Siraj hasn't been credited enough for his efforts. 'Siraj is a guy that I have a lot of respect for. He pushes his body to the limit. He can try too hard at times and that can make you inconsistent. But he really puts his heart on his sleeve,' said Morkel after Stumps on Day 4 when India reduced England to 72 for three, with the home team needing 536 on the final day to win. 'He does the dirty job for the team, and that doesn't reflect in the wickets column at times,' he added. Siraj has been the workhorse for this team and has emerged as a leader of this bowling attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. He picked six wickets in the first innings and denied England a lead. 'I think sometimes the guilty part of him is trying too hard so for us. It's about managing that sort of aggression and managing that intensity because he really bowls with his heart on his sleeve. I think sometimes those sort of things can give you that inconsistency,' said Morkel. 'In a match that he's now the leader of the attack, he got the wickets, but for me in terms of effort and energy and with a sore body, he's always done and will put his hand up, and he wants to bowl that over. I don't think sometimes we give him enough credit for that,' he added. Speaking on Akash Deep's line of attack, Morkel said, 'He is an attacking bowler that asks questions, bowling at the stumps a lot,' Morkel said. 'I think that's one of the golden rules here in England: asking questions on the stumps. So for these sort of conditions in the UK, it suits his style. And coming back from injury and seeing him running in with high pace, it's a nice sign for us.'
Indian Express
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
India bowling coach Morkel unshaken by Brook's ‘we'll chase anything' claim, says ‘in for exciting Day 5'
India bowling coach Morne Morkel said he is looking forward to seeing how England go about their business while chasing 536 on the last day of the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham. India, riding on their skipper Shubman Gill's ferocious batting, set England a target of 608 runs and the home side has skittled down to 72 for the loss of three wickets at the close of Saturday's play. 'Harry Brook said yesterday that they would go for the chase — we are in for an exciting day of cricket. England have got success playing that style of cricket. If they are happy to take it on (so be it),' Morkel said after Stumps on Day 4. 'Brook likes to take the game on and he's an entertainer .That's a brand of cricket they want to play. They probably might have a go for a while and then reassess,' added Morkel. Earlier, the ICC World No. 2 Test batter and England's middle-order mainstay Harry Brook said England are confident of chasing down any total set by the Indian team on Friday. 'I still think we can win this Test match, to be honest. I believe if we take a couple of early wickets tomorrow and put them under pressure and hopefully they can crumble up there and everybody knows in the world that we are going to try and chase whatever they set us, so we'll see how they play,' said Brook to the BBC. Morkel also categorically denied when asked if India was worried whether England would chase down the total, since their delayed declaration surprised many. India batted for 83 overs in the second innings and scored over 400 to ensure they eliminated one result from the Test. 'Worried? No, not really. I think if a team scores 500+ on the final day, then they deserve to win. So, I think it was just a little bit more time. Ideally, give an hour, a little bit more than an hour at them tonight, with Day 5 around the corner,' said Morkel. But we saw [Saturday] morning that if we get the ball in the right areas, there is a bit of assistance. Your skill really gets tested on a surface like this. The margin for error is smaller. It's going to be about asking questions on a good length because as the ball gets a little softer, it is harder to strike. But, I'm just happy with the three [wickets so far],' the South African added.
