NEW DELHI: Bowling coach in India Morne Morkel threw his weight behind Rohit Sharma Amid growing scrutiny over the veteran opener’s form, insisting there is “no concern” and expressing confidence the former skipper will soon find his rhythm in English conditions.Speaking ahead of Sunday’s series-deciding third ODI against England at Lord’s, Morkel dismissed concerns over Rohit’s scores of 11 and 26 in the first two matches, saying the difficult conditions for the opening batsmen had made life difficult throughout the series.
Morkel supports Rohit’s experience and composure
With speculation intensifying over Rohit’s ODI future ahead of the 2027 World Cup, Morkel highlighted the opener’s experience and the calming influence he brings to the Indian batting unit.“It’s a tough job with a new ball up front. We’ve seen that throughout the series. The ball moves. So batting up front, it’s not easy. No doubt Rohit will work,” said Morkel.“He’s done it in the past. He’s experienced and he just brings that calmness to the batting line-up. So, without a doubt, no worries and concerns at all with the way he goes about things,” he added.His remarks came after Rohit’s modest returns in the opening two ODIs reignited the debate over whether India should start planning beyond the veteran opener with just one year remaining before the next 50-over World Cup.
The batting unit is said to adapt more quickly at Lord’s
While defending Rohit, Morkel acknowledged that India’s batting as a whole needs to improve after failing to capitalize on a strong platform in the second ODI.Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer had laid the foundations, but the middle order could not accelerate as India finished with a sub-par 233, allowing England to level the series with a four-wicket win.Morkel advised India’s batsmen to respect the conditions at Lord’s before looking to dominate.“I think for them it’s just to summarize the conditions. We’ve seen of late that it can be a tricky surface here at Lord’s. So maybe give that extra five to 10 balls just to get used to the pace of the surface,” he said.He added that India’s experienced top and middle order knows how to build partnerships and stressed that sustained stands with bat and ball will be key in the decider.
Middle-over wickets remain India’s biggest bowling concern
Despite praising the fast bowlers for their effort in the previous game, Morkel admitted that India still need to become more effective at breaking partnerships during the middle overs.He said the pace attack had executed the plans well, especially with Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar using extra bounces effectively, but acknowledged that England. Joe Rootwho remained unbeaten on 99, showed the value of denying the opposition easy passes throughout the innings.“It’s crucial to get those wickets in the middle stages. We have to continue to work on ways to find those breakthroughs,” said Morkel, while he also warned against overloading bowlers with technical advice before a crucial game.