As India prepare for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, one of the major talking points will be certainly be around their pace battery. This fairly young group, featuring Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi and Prasidh Krishna, will be tested in the Lankan conditions.
However, India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, discussed the challenges the seamers will need to overcome. He highlighted that mindset will play a crucial role in shaping up India’s seam attack while discipline will still remain the key weapon.
Talking in the pre-match presser, Morne Morkel said, “Our skill is there, and the planning will be there, but the biggest challenge coming to Sri Lanka is the heat, the humidity, and the Kookaburra ball going soft a little earlier. It will go soft after 25 or 30 overs, so we have to expect that.”
He further added, “In these conditions, it's all about your mindset. If you're a fast bowler, if you're going to bowl the shortest spells, the energy you put in the ball and putting it into good areas - you'll always have opportunity. As the Test match will go on, hopefully there will be a little bit of uneven bounce.”
Morkel concluded by saying, “It's about how we can stack up overs together with intensity and create that pressure. Because we haven't played a lot of red-ball cricket in the last couple of months, going back into that is going to be a challenge as well."
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