"Unfortunately...": India Bowling Coach Morne Morkel On Kuldeep Yadav's Snub In 4th Test

NDTV

2 days ago

India's top-six batters need to be more consistent for a potential entry of specialist bowler Kuldeep Yadav in the playing eleven, bowling coach Morne Morkel has reasoned. There has been enough hue and cry over the non-selection of left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep in the series thus far. Former players from India and England have vouched for his inclusion in the side considering he is a genuine match winner. However, India have preferred picking three all-rounders in the playing eleven to shore up their batting till number eight. The move has given them mixed results.
Calling Kuldeep a world-class spinner, Morkel said India are trying to fit the wily operator into the side. He can now only play the last Test at The Oval from July 31.
"So Kuldeep, we are trying to find a way for him, but it is just more that consistent runs from our top six that we want so that we can bring a guy like Kuldeep in," said Morkel in a rather long media interaction post stumps on day three of the fourth Test.
Morkel fronted up to the media following an ordinary bowling performance from Indian pacers in the first innings.
Speaking more on Kuldeep, the South Africa said, "I think it's finding when he comes in, how we can find balance and how we can get that batting line-up to be a little bit longer and stronger," said Morkel.
"We've seen in the past that we've lost wickets in clumps. Kuldeep is world class and he's bowling really well at the moment, so we're trying our best to find ways for him to get in. But unfortunately, with that, just to balance with batting throws it out a little bit." Morkel justified the team's strategy to boost its batting with all-rounders, considering England's attacking style of play.
"I do think at the end of the day you need runs on the board, and for us obviously giving that a little bit of extra batting protection, wanting to get totals of 400-plus. You need it against England, especially the way they play, their brand of cricket.
"But, to be honest, the wicket so far has been dry and it's actually spun a little bit. So, that brings Washington into the game. It brings Jaddu (Jadeja) into the game," said the bowling coach.
India's thinking behind strengthening their batting over picking specialist bowlers was repeatedly questioned. Mokel did not shy away from a proper response.
"There's always an option of going in with quicks and picking your six best bat. All those discussions we have had or we do discuss. But I think so far in this match, the last two Test matches, the guys who have played have done a good job in terms of spin bowling.
"We were ever so close to winning that Test match at Lord's. We had a great Test match at Edgbaston. So, I think so far we've played good cricket, good cricket bar yesterday's bowling performance," said Morkel.
He also defended the questionable selection of Anshul Kamboj over Prasidh Krishna for the fourth Test. The drastic drop in speeds for Kamboj surprised even Morkel.
"The discussion going into the Test match was somebody, a bowler that can bowl volume, one guy to bowl overs. Somebody who can ask questions at the stumps, off stump, an accurate sort of bowler.
"And Anshul, I'm sure at the domestic level has done that. He's done really well on the India A tour here, and he was a guy whose name's been in the mix for a long time, and they gave him the opportunity for that," said Morkel.
Fourth pacer Shardul Thakur was under-bowled at Leeds and that trend continues in Manchester. Morkel said that has been the case as there has been a conscious effort to use the leading fast bowlers in search of a breakthrough.
"A bit of a tough fit when you have four seamers. When you're going at five runs an over, I think as a captain, you want to bring strike bowlers back to try and take the wickets. Unfortunately, it happened for Shardul in that first Test match as well," he said.
It was not a surprise that Morkel heaved a sigh of relieve when the media interaction was over.