Morne Morkel To Join As India’s New Bowling Coach (image-instagram/mornemorkel65)

Former South Africa international Morne Morkel has been appointed as the bowling coach of India’s men’s cricket team. Morkel’s contract will begin on September 1. His first assignment will be India’s two-match Test series against Bangladesh which will begin on September 19.

Morkel is one of South Africa’s best tearaway fast bowlers. He had earlier worked with the Pakistan cricket team, apart from his stints in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Lucknow Super Giants.

Read also: Hockey India Retires PR Sreejesh’s No. 16 Jersey

Morkel joining the team marks the reunion with India’s head coach Gautam Gambir. The duo have been teammates in the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise for three seasons in the IPL.

“Yes, Morne Morkel has been appointed bowling coach of the senior India men’s team,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed to PTI.

Earlier there had been speculations about Morkel’s appointment months ago when Gambir was named as the coach of the Indian team.

Morkel in his career played 86 Test matches, taking 309 wickets, and 117 One Day Internationals (ODIs), where he took 188 wickets. He formed a powerful partnership with fellow fast bowler Dale Steyn, together often leading South Africa to victory with their aggressive bowling.

He is known for his dedication and hard work on the field, earning respect from both his teammates and opponents. Being 6’5’’ tall, he used his height to generate extra bounce, making it difficult for the batsmen. Morkel’s ability to bowl at high speeds and consistently hit good areas made him a crucial part of South Africa’s bowling attack.

Read also: “Lost Many Medals”: WFI Chief Sanjay Singh Blames Wrestlers’ Protest

Morkel has previously worked with Namibia, Durban’s Super Giants in competitive cricket. He was also associated with the New Zealand women’s team at the T20 World Cup in South Africa.

He retired from international cricket in 2018, leaving a legacy of skill and determination that made him one of South Africa’s finest bowlers.