Morne Morkel, the bowling coach for India’s men’s cricket team, recently addressed the pitch conditions in Dubai ahead of the Asia Cup. While the conditions during the Champions Trophy were conducive to an all-spin attack, Morkel suggested that this time around, India might not go in with all three spinners, although the final decision will be made closer to the game against UAE on September 10.
During the Champions Trophy, India fielded four specialist spinners: Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja. However, this time, they only have the first three available, as Jadeja has retired from T20Is following India’s victory at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Pitch Dynamics in September
Morkel highlighted that the pitch conditions in Dubai for the Asia Cup will be quite different from those during the Champions Trophy. The surfaces in Dubai during that tournament were worn out from constant play, but Morkel noted that this time, the pitches are expected to be fresher and greener.
“When the Champions Trophy was played, the surfaces had seen a lot of cricket and were a bit tired. This time, there is more grass on the square,” Morkel said.
India’s coaching staff will assess the pitch conditions on the evening before the match against the UAE. Morkel emphasized that the team would make the final call on the playing XI based on what they observe on the ground.
“We will have a good idea going into the first game about what works best for us. At the moment, we are covering all our bases and will make the decision on match day.”
Kuldeep Yadav’s Readiness
One of the key concerns for Morkel has been Kuldeep Yadav’s lack of game time in England. Despite this, the bowling coach expressed confidence in Kuldeep’s ability to step up for the Asia Cup.
“Kuldeep is a professional athlete. Despite not playing much in England, he’s been putting in the work. He’s bowled a lot of overs throughout his career and knows exactly what to do to prepare for T20s and white-ball cricket.”
Morkel praised Kuldeep’s positive attitude and assured fans that the bowler was ready to deliver in the upcoming matches. He also stressed the importance of focused training and goal-setting as India prepares for the Asia Cup.
“We can only control what we can control. Right now, our focus is on making each training session purposeful and ensuring we’re ready for the challenges ahead.”
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