Morne Morkel, the former South African fast bowler, has been appointed as the new bowling coach of the Indian cricket team, according to a report by Cricbuzz citing BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. Reports said that Morkel’s contract is set to commence on September 1, and his first assignment will be the home Test against Bangladesh, starting on September 19.
Morkel takes over from Paras Mhambrey, who served as the bowling coach during Rahul Dravid’s tenure. Mhambrey's contract ended with India’s victory in the T20 World Cup in June. Morkel will join assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, as well as fielding coach T Dilip. Nayar, Dilip, and ten Doeschate were part of India's support staff during their recent tour of Sri Lanka. However, an official confirmation from the BCCI regarding Morkel’s appointment and other support staff changes is still awaited.
Read Also | Rohit Sharma Moves Up to No. 2 in ICC ODI Batting Rankings After Series Against Sri Lanka
Morkel, who had a distinguished international career, represented South Africa in 86 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 44 T20Is, claiming 309, 188, and 47 wickets respectively. He was part of a formidable South African pace attack alongside Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander, known for their impact across all formats.
After retiring from international cricket at the age of 33, Morkel transitioned to county cricket and then to coaching. His notable coaching stint came with Pakistan, where he worked with fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Following Pakistan's disappointing performance in the tournament, Morkel opted not to continue with the team.
Morkel has a strong professional relationship with Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir. The two have worked together at Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants, where Morkel was the bowling coach under Gambhir's mentorship.
