India's inexperienced pace attack has to be street-smart during SL Tests: Morkel
There is no hiding the fact that India’s pace attack for the Sri Lanka Tests does look inexperienced. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, India will have Mohammed Siraj as their leader. But apart from that, the visitors are a bit thin on experience. Prasidh Krishna is just seven Tests old, and Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi are yet to make their debuts in Tests.
But bowling coach Morne Morkel is finding the situation to be an exciting one. Morkel believes that the pace attack does have the skill to tackle the challenges the conditions in Sri Lanka will throw up to them.
“I think it’s exciting. All these guys have come a long way with their skill. Not so long ago in the A side, Gurnoor (Brar) was very successful, so he knows, sort of, he’s got an idea about the conditions. Prasidh, Siraj, they’ve played a lot of cricket back home, where it’s also tough bowling conditions,” Morkel told reporters on Thursday.
‘INDIA PACERS WILL NEED TO BE STREET-SMART’
Often, spin is king when it comes to Sri Lankan conditions. However, the pacers are expected to provide support with short spells and when the ball gets a bit soft.
Morkel said that the biggest challenge will be the heat and humidity and the fact that the ball gets softer after 20-35 overs. This is when the former South African cricketer wants his wards to be street-smart when it comes to using the crease and using the short-ball.
“I think coming here, our skill is there, the planning will be there, but the biggest challenge will be the heat and humidity. The ball will go softer after 20-35 overs. Expect that. But what is our next step? To be street-smart in terms of how we’re going to use the crease, how we’re going to use our short ball. All those conditions and all those sort of situations we need to be able to sum up quite quickly. And then execute it with a lot of energy and go into those areas,” the former South African pacer added.
The first Test will begin in Galle on August 15.
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