Daijiworld Media Network – Wellington
Wellington, Oct 26: India bowling coach Morne Morkel has urged senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to ignore outside expectations and focus on regaining his rhythm as he makes his return to the national T20I side during the ongoing series against New Zealand.
Bhuvneshwar has struggled in the opening two matches, conceding 49 and 50 runs in his respective spells. Although he picked up the wicket of Daryl Mitchell in the second T20I, his economy rate of 12.37 has been the highest among India's bowlers in the series so far.
Speaking ahead of the third T20I, scheduled to be played on Tuesday, Morkel said he sympathised with the experienced pacer, who returned to international cricket after a lengthy absence.
“Look, I've got a lot of sympathy for his return. There will be expectations after four years. He's done exceptionally well in the IPL and bowled really well,” Morkel said, adding that the bowler needed to block out the pressure and concentrate on his game.
The 36-year-old last represented India in November 2022 before returning to the T20I side earlier this month. His impressive performances in the Indian Premier League, where he claimed 17 and 28 wickets in successive seasons as Royal Challengers Bengaluru won back-to-back titles, helped him earn another opportunity at the international level.
Morkel acknowledged that Bhuvneshwar had limited preparation time before the series, pointing out that international cricket demanded a different level of precision. He urged the pacer to trust his skills and experience, adding that he would improve with every game as he settled back into the side.
India have also rotated their third fast bowler in the first two matches. Mayank Yadav played the opening T20I, taking one wicket for 40 runs, before Prince Yadav replaced him in the second game and returned figures of one for 30.
Morkel clarified that the change was tactical rather than performance-related. He said Prince's ability to execute yorkers at the death made him a suitable option, particularly with the possibility of a wet ball and the ground dimensions taken into account.
He also backed Mayank, saying the young pacer had bowled well in the first match and could benefit from time to reflect on his performance. Morkel noted that Mayank was still developing his understanding of reading batters and planning overs.
The third T20I in Wellington presents another challenge for the Indian players, with strong winds forecast and rain also expected on match day. The city's waterfront was reportedly closed after cyclists were knocked off their bikes by powerful gusts.
Morkel described Wellington's wind as an unusual challenge, saying even his hotel building had been shaking. He acknowledged that the conditions could affect batting stances and bowling execution but urged the players to adapt quickly and avoid making excuses.
The bowling coach also advised the players to approach the conditions positively, stressing that India would need at least one bowler capable of bowling into the wind rather than allowing all four to operate with it at their backs.
India lead the five-match T20I series 2-0 after winning the first two matches in Christchurch.