Credit: BCCI
Team India bowling coach Morne Morkel was bombarded with questions of Kuldeep Yadav’s exclusion from India’s playing XI in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. Following India’s poor bowling performance on the third day of the fourth Test in Manchester, questions were raised on Team India management that why they didn't induct Kuldeep in the 11-member squad in the England tour, thus far. On the fourth day, when England crossed the 500-run mark, India splurged the same number of runs for the first time in over ten years outside Asia and Caribbean. Team India were also questioned about the underutilisation of Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur.
On Kuldeep’s exclusion, Morkel said that the team management are striving their best to induct the spinner in the playing XI but the emphasis is on lengthening the batting unit. "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. 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," said Morkel after the fourth day’s play in Manchester.
Watch the video here:
Morne Morkel feels India have played good cricket during England tour
Morne Morkel was also asked why Team India don’t comprehend the fact that playing proper strike bowlers also diminishes the batters' burden by winning them matches with fewer runs. Responding to the query, the former South Africa bowler said, "There's always an option of going in with quicks and picking your six best bat."
The 40-year-old also remarked that Shubman Gill and his boys have played good cricket thus far in the tour. "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," added Morkel.
