India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel used the pre-series press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday to frame the three-match ODI series against West Indies as the opening move of a much bigger campaign, one that ends with the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.
I want to see guys putting their hands up for the ball, wanting to create pressure and not protecting their own space,” Morkel said. Morkel said the medical team and coaches are mapping out individual plans for every bowler in a wider pool, with an eye on the next year’s World Cup. His message was simple: The standards India wants to carry into next year’s showpiece tournament cannot be switched on later. “You can’t decide a month or a week before a World Cup that you’re going to step things up. It starts now, with this series against the West Indies. With Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana working their way back from injuries, workload management remains a core issue for the coaching staff. With Shubman Gill continuing as captain and Virat Kohli back after a break, Morkel was asked how India balances settled young leadership with a wealth of experience. He credited Gill’s captaincy while stressing the value of senior players as informal mentors around the squad. “Shubman’s done an exceptional job leading the team. Different players feel more comfortable speaking to different senior guys, and we’re fortunate to have that experience in the group. The more we can create opportunities for those conversations, the better it is for us,” he added.