It is back to business for Rohit Sharma’s side following its much-deserved month-long break, as the team began its preparations in right earnest under new coach Gautam Gambhir here on Friday, for the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh. With the first Test against Bangladesh scheduled here from September 19, the entire squad, including Rohit and batting stalwart Virat Kohli, assembled at the MA Chidambaram Stadium with new bowling coach, South African great Morne Morkel, and batting coach Vikram Rathour also in attendance.

BCCI posted images of the first day of practice and wrote, “The countdown starts as Team India begin their preps for an exciting home season.” The images showed the entire squad listening attentively to Gambhir, his support staff and skipper Rohit.

Earlier, India skipper Rohit arrived in Chennai on Thursday, while Virat flew in directly from London for the opening Test.

Wearing a yellow jersey, Rohit was seen emerging from the airport escorted by security personnel, in a PTI Video on Thursday night, while Kohli came from London in an early-morning flight.

The likes of India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant had earlier reached the city on Thursday.

The players are returning to the field after a much-needed break of more than a month and would look to put behind the disappointment of losing the ODI series against Sri Lanka in August and get back to winning ways quickly under Gambhir.

This will be India’s first Test under Gambhir and his new support staff, and it would be interesting to see how Rohit’s side approaches the game against a Bangladesh side, which is riding a wave following their 2-0 Test series win over Pakistan.

Vital World Test Championship (WTC) points are at stake in the two-match series as India get ready for a a gruelling 10-match Test season, which also includes a three-Test series at home against New Zealand and the five-match Border-Gavaskar series later this year in Australia.

India are currently heading the table with 68.52 percentage points, while Australia are a close second with 62.50 percentage points.

Bangladesh have jumped to fourth spot with 45.83 percentage points following their 10-wicket win against Pakistan in the opening Test and their amazing fight-back in the second Test where wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das scored a century to singlehandedly guide the side to a series triumph.

The second Test of the India-Bangladesh series will be played in Kanpur from September 27.

Former South Africa pace great Morne Morkel has been roped in as the Indian cricket team’s new bowling coach, BCCI secretary Jay Shah told PTI on Wednesday, completing the appointment of new head coach Gautam Gambhir‘s preferred support staff. It is understood that the 39-year-old, who replaces Paras Mhambrey, will take over as the bowling coach from the Bangladesh series that starts with the opening Test in Chennai from September 19. He has been appointed till the end of the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.

“Yes, Morne Morkel has been appointed bowling coach of the senior India men’s team,” Shah told PTI.

The other members of Gambhir’s support staff are assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, and fielding coach Ryan Ten Doeschate.

Morkel was also Gambhir’s preferred choice, having worked with him at Lucknow Super Giants during the Indian’s two IPL seasons as mentor of the franchise.

Morkel has played 86 Tests, 117 ODIs and 44 T20Is for South Africa with a total of 544 international wickets.

He will be reporting in Bengaluru’s National Cricket Academy at the start of next month and is expected to watch the Duleep Trophy games. Once there, he will also touch base with VVS Laxman and head of bowling in NCA, Troy Cooley.

According to sources, Morkel was directly appointed on Gambhir’s recommendation ahead of other options like Lakshmipathy Balaji and R Vinay Kumar.

“The Cricket Advisory Committee’s (CAC) mandate was to interview the candidates for the head coach. When it came to choice of support staff, it was imperative that Gambhir’s choice prevailed. He has worked with Morne and thinks of him highly as a bowling coach,” a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

“Also with the big series against Australia coming up Down Under from last week of November, there isn’t a better choice than the South African, who has himself enjoyed fair bit of success over there. Also there will be the five-Test tour of England next year with a potential sixth match if India reach WTC final.” It is understood that Balaji and Vinay’s names weren’t considered once it was clear that Morkel would carry forward the good work done by Mhambrey.

One half of the famous fast bowling duo that featured Dale Steyn, Morkel is a cricketing heavyweight and has also played quite a lot in India to have a fair idea about the conditions.

Also, his stint in the IPL has allowed him to have a ringside view of India’s next crop of fast bowlers including the most exciting of them all — Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan and Yash Thakur to name a few.

A lot of observers believe that Morkel worked quite a lot with Mayank during the past two seasons of IPL even though he remained injured for the better part.

Morkel’s biggest challenge will be to handle the transition phase as Mohammed Shami enters the business end of his illustrious career and Jasprit Bumrah needs more potent support apart from Mohammed Siraj, especially in red-ball cricket.

Morkel had last year worked with the Pakistan team till the end of the ODI World Cup and quit before his contract expired.

India have never had any spin bowling coach as such although former director Ravi Shastri was a distinguished left-arm spinner in his playing days. Sairaj Bahutule, who is a part of Laxman’s team at the NCA, has travelled on and off with the senior team.

File picture of Morne Morkel, left, with Lucknow Super Giants’ Mayank Yadav. The South African has been appointed bowling coach of the Indian men’s cricket team
| Photo Credit: PTI

Morne Morkel, former South Africa speedster, has been appointed as India’s men’s cricket team’s bowling coach. Morkel’s appointment completes trio suggested by the new head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Jay Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, confirmed that Morkel will join for the two-Test series against Bangladesh, starting September 19. The Hindu understands that Morkel will arrive in India in time ahead of the weeklong preparatory camp in Chennai, likely to begin from September 10.

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Morkel, after having been Gambhir’s teammate at the Indian Premier League franchisee Kolkata Knight Riders, was roped in as the bowling coach by Lucknow Super Giants during Gambhir’s stint as the mentor.

Besides his experience as bowling coach in franchise cricket across the globe, Morkel also worked as the bowling coach of Pakistan men’s team during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

Ahead of his appointment last month as the head coach, Gambhir had stressed on roping in Morkel along with Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate. While the other two joined as assistant coaches for the limited overs tour to Sri Lanka, Morkel’s appointment was delayed since he wasn’t available to join at such a short notice.

Besides, the BCCI hierarchy is understood to be averse to having too many overseas faces in the team’s support staff. Morkel’s appointment thus completes Gambhir’s wishlist. It will be interesting to see how he shapes the pace battery for the big five-match Test series in Australia later this year.

File image of Morne Morkel© Twitter

New India head coach Gautam Gambhir has firmly denied reports and rumours that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rejected his requests for coaching staff personnel. Instead, Gambhir expressed that his requests to the BCCI were largely accepted. Gambhir also announced the names of two people who are set to join his support staff – Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate. Gambhir’s first series as India head coach begins on Saturday, July 27, as India tours Sri Lanka for 3 T20Is and 3 ODIs.

Appearing at a press conference for the first time since being appointed as Team India head coach, Gambhir refuted claims that the BCCI had not agreed to his requests.

“Really happy with the BCCI. They have agreed to most of the things I’ve asked for. I was surprised to read all those news (about BCCI rejecting his demands),” said Gambhir in the press-conference.

“The crux of the support staff will remain the same,” he confirmed. Gambhir stated that T Dilip, the fielding coach during Rahul Dravid‘s tenure, will continue in his role.

“Abhishek Nayar as assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coach,” confirmed Gambhir. “I feel there could be assistant coaches working and focusing on all three departments rather than one specific department. That’s the reason we now have two assistant coaches. That’s the way we will go forward as well,” added Gambhir.

Nayar and ten Doeschate are two men Gambhir worked in close quarters with during IPL 2024, as Kolkata Knight Riders won a third IPL title. Nayar was the assistant coach of KKR, while ten Doeschate was their fielding coach.

Gambhir confirmed that Nayar, T Dilip and former India leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule are travelling with the India squad to Sri Lanka, while ten Doeschate will join the team directly in Colombo.

Gambhir stated that the entire support staff will be finalised after the Sri Lanka tour.

“We still have one month after the Sri Lanka tour, and we can finalise after the tour. Importantly, I’ve worked with Ryan and Abhishek closely during the IPL. I enjoyed working with them, they are thorough professionals, and there can’t be a bigger and better opportunity now,” said Gambhir.

South African pacer Morne Morkel has been reported to be requested by Gambhir to also join the coaching staff.

File photo of Gautam Gambhir© AFP

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are all set to appoint Abhishek Nayar and Ryan Ten Doeschate as assistant coaches of the Indian cricket team, according to a report by Cricbuzz. While no official statement has been issued by the team management, the report claims that both Nayar and Ten Doeschate will join new head coach Gautam Gambhir for the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka. Nayar was the assistant coach for Kolkata Knight Riders while the former Dutch international also served as KKR’s fielding coach when Gambhir served as mentor. T Dilip, who served as fielding coach under Rahul Dravid, is reportedly going to be retained in the new support staff as well.

However, questions still remain over the appointment of the bowling coach but former South Africa cricket team fast bowler Morne Morkel is being considered a strong candidate for the position.

Morkel has also worked with Gambhir as part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team. Morkel played for the franchise between 2014 and 2016 under Gambhir’s captaincy and even won the title in 2014.

Gautam Gambhir has asked the BCCI to also consider Morne Morkel as bowling coach.© KKR/X