India bowling coach Morne Morkel has backed Rohit Sharma to come through his lean run, saying the team has no concerns about the way the experienced batter is approaching his innings.
Speaking before India’s next match at Lord’s, Morkel said batting against the new ball has been difficult through the series and that Rohit has the experience to find a way out of his current phase.
“Rohit, no doubt, will work it out,” Morkel said, while pointing to the calm he brings to India’s batting order. He added that there were “no worries and concerns at all” about Rohit’s method at the crease.
Morkel says new-ball challenge has been clear
Rohit’s recent scores have led to questions about his form, but Morkel placed the discussion in the wider context of the conditions and the challenge for top-order batters. According to him, the new ball has made life hard early in the innings throughout the series.
The bowling coach’s comments also suggested that India are not looking at Rohit’s form in isolation. He stressed that Rohit has dealt with difficult periods before and has the know-how to adjust. For India, that composure at the top remains important, especially if conditions at Lord’s do not allow easy run-scoring.
Morkel also backed the rest of the batting group. He said India’s top and middle order have enough experience to build partnerships, which he called a key part of the 50-over format. In the previous match, he felt India had been on course for a total in the range of 280 to 300 before losing wickets at an important stage.
Cardiff loss and Root’s innings
India are coming off a four-wicket defeat in Cardiff, where they could not break through England’s middle order at the right time. Joe Root held the chase together with an unbeaten 99 from 133 balls, denying India the breakthroughs they needed.
Morkel credited Root for the innings, calling it a classy effort. At the same time, he said India had plans for the next game and hoped they would work better at Lord’s.
India were also without Washington Sundar in the Cardiff match after he suffered a hamstring injury while batting. His absence reduced India’s spin options, and the team used Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar in the middle phase for the bounce they could offer.
Morkel defended India’s bowling performance despite the result. He said the pace bowlers generated strong speeds and hit good areas, adding that the numbers from the match were encouraging. For him, the issue was not effort or execution over long periods, but finding a way to take wickets when a partnership settles.
Partnerships remain the focus
Looking ahead, Morkel said partnerships will matter with both bat and ball. With the bat, India will need one of the experienced players to bat deep and give the innings shape. With the ball, the bowlers will need to turn pressure into wickets, especially if England’s middle order again looks to absorb pressure.
The former South Africa fast bowler did not suggest any major concern inside the Indian camp. His comments stayed centred on small improvements: better breakthroughs in the middle overs, steady batting partnerships, and trust in senior players such as Rohit.
For India, the Lord’s match offers a chance to respond quickly after Cardiff. Morkel’s message was clear: the team believes Rohit’s runs will come, and the bowling group is not far away from getting the rewards it wants.
Source: The Hindu Cricket.