AGENCY
new delhi, june 12
India bowling coach Morne Morkel has expressed his excitement over Jasprit Bumrah’s impressive form in the lead-up to the five-Test series against England, saying he has been “blown away” by the pace spearhead’s rhythm and energy during the initial training sessions. However, Morkel emphasised the need to be cautious with Bumrah’s workload through the summer.
Ahead of the team’s departure, head coach Gautam Gambhir had indicated that Bumrah is likely to feature in only three of the five Tests, given his history of back injuries. The decision on which matches he will play is still pending and will depend on both the progress of the series and Bumrah’s physical condition. “Bumrah knows how to get himself ready, he knows how to prepare. I was blown away to see the energy on the ball the last three days. That’s very exciting to see. I’m happy his body is in good shape at the moment,” Morkel said on Wednesday.
“We’ll manage him with that. We’ll be smart with him because he’s obviously key for us, but in terms of the first three net sessions, lot to be excited watching him bowl with the Dukes ball,” he added.
India’s preparation for the series opener at Headingley, Leeds, starting June 20, includes a three-day intra-squad match in Beckenham. The fixture, likely to be held behind closed doors, will feature players from the main Test squad and the India A side, which recently played two four-day games against the England Lions.
Apart from Bumrah, with several pace options at their disposal, including Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep, India’s bowling combination will be closely monitored ahead of the first Test. The team also has seam-bowling all rounders Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy in the mix. However, both looked short of rhythm during the India A matches, making their inclusion in the playing XI uncertain.
Morkel, though, is optimistic about Reddy’s potential.
“The more bowling options we can have, that’s great. He’s skillful.
He’s a guy that can bowl that magical ball, so for him it’s about creating that consistency, it’s something we want to work on, it’s important for his game as well,” Morkel said of Reddy.
“I’ve had conversations where I’ve challenged him to bowl a bit more. I want to see the ball more in his hands, we all know what he can do with the bat. For a team, if we can have the bowling options especially in these conditions, I think he’ll be exciting and can complement this bowling attack.”
As India braced for a high-intensity series against an aggressive England side, the former South Africa speedster stressed the importance of starting strong and maintaining pressure from the outset.
“England – the brand of cricket they play, we need to be on top of our game. We can’t afford to find our feet in this series. That’s one of the things that has impressed me so much in the two days, the few sessions we’ve had,” he said.
“The guys have stepped up by themselves, they’ve taken the ownership and responsibility, they’ve realised it’s going to be a tough tour. That’s the pleasing thing for us as coaches, to see guys taking that leadership and ownership at practice,” he added.
