Morkel appointed bowling coach of Indian cricket team

New Delhi, Aug 14: As per the wish of chief coach Gautam Gambhir, former South Africa pacer Morne Morkel has been appointed as the Indian men's cricket team's bowling coach, with his contract set to begin on September 1. The appointment was confirmed by BCCI sources to IANS on Wednesday.

Morkel’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Indian cricket, as the team prepares for an intense home series against Bangladesh, starting with the Chennai Test on September 19. Although Morkel was initially slated to join the team during their recent tour of Sri Lanka, personal issues prevented him from taking up the role, with Sairaj Bahutule stepping in as an interim coach for the six white-ball matches.

At 39, Morkel brings with him a wealth of experience, both as a former international cricketer and as a coach. He has previously worked alongside Gambhir at the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where the two forged a strong professional relationship.

Gambhir, a mentor at LSG, worked closely with Morkel during his tenure as bowling coach, helping to shape the team's strategy and performance. Their collaboration was highly regarded, even after Gambhir left LSG to join Kolkata Knight Riders and head coach Andy Flower moved to Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Morkel previously served as the bowling coach for the Pakistan national team during the ODI World Cup in India last year. He resigned from his role with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) months before his contract was set to expire.

Alongside Morkel, the coaching team led by Gambhir includes Abhishek Nayar and former Dutch cricketer Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coaches. T. Dilip, who served as the fielding coach under the previous regime led by Rahul Dravid, will continue in his role, ensuring continuity in the team’s preparations.