Cricket News / Morne Morkel Backs Bhuvneshwar Kumar Despite Expensive Spells in New Zealand T20Is

Wellington, Oct 26: India bowling coach Morne Morkel has backed senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar despite his expensive spells in the first two T20Is against New Zealand, urging him to ignore external criticism and focus on being himself.

Bhuvneshwar's return to the T20I setup after four years didn’t pan out as he would have thought, as he conceded 49 and 50 runs in the two games, respectively, from his quota of overs with an economy rate of 12.37, the poorest among the Indian bowling unit.

Morkel revealed that he suggested Bhuvneshwar not to "chase" anything and leave the expectations factor out.

"I've got a lot of sympathy for his return. The reason why I say that is, one, there will be expectations after four years to come out. He's done exceptionally well in the IPL. He's bowled really well. One is to block the expectation factor out," Morkel said at a press conference ahead of the third T20I, to be played on Tuesday.

"Two, leading into his selection, I mean, there was a month of cricket where, yes, he trained, but this is a different beast coming and playing international cricket where the margins are small. So he had to come in with limited training because of the schedule to get himself ready," he said.

Before making a comeback to international cricket, the 36-year-old had last represented India in the T20 World Cup semi-final against England at the Adelaide Oval in November 2022. A strong run in the Indian Premier League over the last two seasons helped the experienced seamer force his way back into the national setup.

Bhuvneshwar claimed 45 wickets across the last two IPL editions for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and played an important role in the franchise's title-winning campaigns. His consistency with the new ball and wealth of experience have earned him another opportunity in India's T20I setup.

"So the skill and his experience – everything is there. But at the end of the day, we have to respect the game of cricket and you have to be able to allow him to just find his feet in some of the games." Morkel said.

Also Read: Arshdeep Breaks Bhuvneshwar’s Record for Most T20I Wickets in a Calendar Career

"And for me, that has been the message from the start when he joined the squad, is to, you know, don't chase anything. Just be you. Yes, there will be expectations. But just every game you'll get better and every game you'll find your rhythm. So let's not think about any outside noises. Just be you and connect with that," he added.

With India leading the five-match series 2-0, the team faces the challenge of Wellington’s strong winds in the third T20I, which bowling coach Morne Morkel described as a “different beast”. He said the side was prepared to tackle the conditions head-on rather than make excuses.

“This is a different beast, this wind. I was in the hotel this morning and the whole building was sort of shaking. So I think it’s going to be a new sort of thing that we add to our books for the guys to get used to and accustomed to, with a quick turnaround. But, for us, again, it is looking forward to that challenge and taking it head-on and not really making excuses,” Morkel said.

(IANS)