Morne Morkel seals bowling coach role to complete Indian backroom staff
Former South African pacer Morne Morkel was announced as the latest appointment to the Indian coaching staff led by head coach Gautam Gambhir. Morkel has in the past worked with Lucknow and Durban Super Giants in the franchise circuit, and briefly served as Namibia and Pakistan's bowling coach.
Morkel's appointment comes after Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate were announced as Gautam Gambhir's assistant coaches while T Dillip was retained as the fielding coach. The South African pacer has previously worked with Gambhit for two seasons in the IPL at Lucknow Super Giants' where he oversaw resounding success for the likes of Mohsin Khan and Avesh Khan. The former Proteas quick was also contracted by the team's South African counterpart Durban Super Giants since the inaugural season of SA20 in 2023.
Morkel boasts experience in the domestic circuit as well, albeit in bits and pieces. He first landed a role with Namibia for the 2022 T20 World Cup, then joined the New Zealand Women's team for the T20 World Cup in 2023, and most recently was part of the Pakistan backroom staff at the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup. The latest of those was supposed to be a longer role but Morkel had issued a resignation six weeks before his contract was set to expire after a disappointing campaign in India.
Morkel was one of the most skillful explosive quick bowlers to have graced the game, building upon his towering six and five-foot frame with control and variations. He was part of a potent trio comprising Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander and ended up with 309 wickets in 86 Tests at an average of 27.66. The 39-year-old also tallied 235 wickets in white-ball internationals across 161 appearances.
Morkel's first assignment as the Indian bowling coach is set to be a two-match home Test series against Bangladesh beginning September 19. However, the former Proteas might have to wait till the three-match Test series against the Kiwis in October to have the first-choice trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami in action, given the latter is still rehabilitating from an ankle injury. The crowning jewel of the season is slated to be a five-match Test series Down Under where India shall enter as four-time defending champions of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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