Morne Morkel, the former South Africa fast bowler, has been officially appointed as the bowling coach of the Indian men's cricket team. The announcement was made by BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Wednesday, putting an end to weeks of speculation.
Morkel takes over from former India fast bowler Paras Mhambrey, completing India's coaching staff under head coach Gautam Gambhir. The coaching team also includes assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, along with fielding coach T Dilip.
Morkel's appointment comes after he emerged as the frontrunner for the position, edging out R Vinay Kumar, the former India seamer, who was also considered for the role. Morkel was previously Pakistan's bowling coach until December last year and was recommended for the Indian coaching position by Gambhir. The two have worked together during the 2022-23 seasons with the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and the Durban Super Giants in SA20.
Morkel's immediate focus will be on strengthening India's fast bowling lineup as the team prepares for a busy schedule that includes five home Tests between September and November, followed by a challenging five-Test series in Australia—the first such series between the two nations since 1992.
The status of Sairaj Bahutule, the former India legspinner who served as the bowling coach on the recent tour of Sri Lanka, remains uncertain. It is believed that the team management is keen on developing a pool of spinners beyond the established trio of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav. Bahutule might continue in a spin consultant role, though possibly not on a permanent basis.
Morkel brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having played 86 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 44 T20Is for South Africa, during which he claimed 544 wickets over a 12-year international career. Since his retirement, Morkel has served as a bowling consultant for various teams globally, including stints with New Zealand at the 2023 Women's T20 World Cup and Namibia at the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup, in addition to his work with Pakistan and LSG.
Morkel's appointment is expected to bolster India's bowling unit, providing them with the expertise needed to tackle the challenges ahead.