India’s fast-bowling coach, Morne Morkel, has thrown his full support behind Rohit Sharma ahead of the crucial third ODI against England at Lord’s this Sunday. He reassured everyone that there are “no worries at all” regarding the senior opener’s form, despite Rohit’s scores of just 11 and 26 in the first two matches, which have raised some eyebrows. Morkel emphasized that the challenging English conditions have made it tough for all opening batsmen in the series, but he firmly believes that Rohit will soon find his groove again. This support comes at a pivotal moment, as India looks to clinch the ODI series after it was tied at 1-1 following their loss in Cardiff.
Speculation around Rohit’s ODI future and India’s plans beyond this tour has also gathered pace ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Morkel, however, shifted the focus to Rohit’s value in the side, saying his experience and calm approach remain vital. He noted that, “It’s hard work against the new ball upfront. We have seen that in the entire series. The ball is moving around. So, batting upfront is not easy. No doubt, Rohit will work it out.”
“We have got a couple of plans in place” Morne Morkel Comes in Support of Indian Bowlers vs England in 3rd ODI
Morkel stood up for India’s bowling performance in the second ODI, even though they faced a four-wicket defeat. England successfully chased down 234 runs, thanks to Joe Root’s impressive unbeaten 99 that led the home team to victory. Despite the loss, the bowling coach felt that India’s pace attack executed their game plan effectively and showed solid discipline for most of the innings. He commended the bowlers for maintaining good speeds and consistently targeting the right areas. Morkel mentioned that Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar were brought in to take advantage of the extra bounce, but he acknowledged that India missed some key breakthroughs during the middle overs. He emphasized that, “Crucial it is to get those wickets in the middle phase of the game. So, in terms of tomorrow, how are we going to go about it? We have got a couple of plans in place, and hopefully it will all work.”
On another note, India will have to make at least one change, as Washington Sundar has been sidelined with a right hamstring injury. Harsh Dubey has been called up to the squad, but the management is still weighing the decision of whether to give him his debut or bring back Kuldeep Yadav. They also have the option to bolster the pace attack with Prince Yadav, while KL Rahul’s fitness adds another batting option alongside Ishan Kishan. The final lineup will hinge on the conditions at Lord’s. With the series tied at 1-1, the winner of Sunday’s match will take home the ODI trophy, making this final clash the ultimate test of the tour for both teams.
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