South African Pacer Morne Morkel enters as team India’s new bowling coach as fellow KKR player Gautam Gambhir becomes head coach. Cricbuzz reports that Morkel will start his role in the upcoming home series against Bangladesh in September.
The appointment comes at a vital time. The Indian cricket team is gearing up for a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. Key ODI squad members, led by captain Rohit Sharma have already arrived in Colombo to begin their campaign.
Morne’s addition as a coach is part of a bigger picture
Morkel’s appointment as a fast bowling coach is part of an ongoing review by Gambhir and the management to improve the team’s coaching setup for future events.
This change raises questions about the future role of interim bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule, considering Morkel’s focus on fast bowling.
Additionally, the decision to keep a dedicated spin bowling coach alongside Morkel is still undecided. Should Bahutule stay on, the coaching staff would consist of two assistant coaches—Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate—a fast bowling coach (Morkel), a fielding coach (T Dilip), and potentially a spin bowling coach, all under Gambhir’s guidance.
Team India arrives in Sri Lanka for ODI series
Rohit Sharma has arrived in Sri Lanka from the United States, joining Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav, and new addition Harshit Rana. The group is staying at the ITC Ratnadipa hotel. They will participate in a net session at the stadium, managed by assistant coach Abhishek Nayar.
After the T20I series in Pallekele, where India has secured a 2-0 lead, the remaining squad members will join the ODI team. The ODI series begins on August 2 at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, with additional matches on August 4 and 7.
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