‘It starts now:’ Morne Morkel sets India’s World Cup tone ahead of WI series

In a pre-series press conference, India's bowling coach Morne Morkel set the tone for the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies by emphasizing the importance of maintaining high standards throughout the entire campaign leading up to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. Morkel stressed that the team cannot wait until a month or a week before the World Cup to elevate their performance.

He expressed his desire to see players eager to take ownership of the ball and create pressure on the opposition, rather than simply protecting their own space.

Allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy received the most attention from reporters during the conference, as his path to a full bowling workload, following recurring injuries, has been a delicate management task. Morkel acknowledged the challenge of transforming instinct into consistent performance, highlighting Reddy's potential to create opportunities, but also the need for him to focus on basic skills and reliability.

Morkel explained that the coaching staff intends to give Reddy a well-defined job during the three-match series, allowing him to build towards competing for India's allrounder's spot. With a relatively open calendar ahead, the plan is to maintain structured workload distribution for each bowler as they prepare for the next year's World Cup.

Morkel assured that the medical team and coaches are developing individualized plans for every bowler in the broader pool, with the goal of providing the selectors with a strong selection group.

Captain Shubman Gill and returning star Virat Kohli led the team during the press conference. Morkel praised Gill's leadership, while also acknowledging the value of senior players serving as informal mentors within the squad. He emphasized the importance of fostering conversations between players and experienced veterans, as these interactions create opportunities for growth and development within the team.