England vs India: Morne Morkel admits he was a little nervous ahead of England tour

Team India bowling coach Morne Morkel has admitted that he felt a little bit nervous about the Indian team not getting enough red ball time ahead of the England tour, scheduled to start on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds.

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Furthermore, he stated that consistency will be the key for the Indian team in English conditions. Notably, India’s five-match Test series against England marks the new World Test Championship cycle and a new captaincy era for Shubman Gill.

“I think consistency is crucial in England and there is consistency when we practice, there’s consistency off the field, finding your process, what’s going to work for you as an individual. We’ve got a great variation, variety in our attack, guys with different skill sets so they can do that and still execute the basics well,” Morkel said on the sidelines of India’s training session.

“All in all, happy with the start so far. I was a little bit nervous in terms of the lack of red ball we’ve played but seeing how the guys are moving around and training in the last three days is a pleasing sight. We have a fantastic group. There’s some quality energy and that’s what you need. You need to go into a Test series confident and have that team spirit,” he added.

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It’s important to note that Team India last played a red-ball game against Australia Down Under at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney. With Team India fielding a relatively younger side this time around, it would be interesting to watch how things pan out for Team India.

“In the two-day practice so far, the conditions suited the fast bowlers. It was testing for the batters which also in a way helps them to prepare for what’s to come,” Morkel said.

“There’s been a lot of good banter between bat and ball but I think it’s only because the wickets are a little bit spicy. As soon as the wickets go flat, the bowlers tend to back off. I’m going to tell them not only to talk when the wickets are nipping around but when its flat, that’s where we’re going to need the character at all times,” he concluded.

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