By: Aditya Ahuja
Morne Morkel, the former South African fast bowler, has been appointed as the bowling coach for the Indian men’s cricket team. The appointment, which had been the subject of speculation for several weeks, was officially confirmed by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah on Wednesday.
Morkel takes over the role from Paras Mhambrey, a former India fast bowler. His appointment finalizes India’s coaching staff, which now includes head coach Gautam Gambhir, assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, and fielding coach T Dilip.
Morkel emerged as the leading candidate for the position after being shortlisted alongside former India seamer R Vinay Kumar.
Prior to this, Morkel served as Pakistan’s bowling coach until December last year. His recommendation for the Indian role came from Gambhir, who had previously worked with Morkel during his two-season tenure (2022-23) at the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, as well as at Durban Super Giants in the SA20 league.
It remains uncertain whether Sairaj Bahutule, the former India leg-spinner who temporarily served as the bowling coach during India’s tour of Sri Lanka, will continue as part of the support staff.
Morkel enjoyed a distinguished international career, playing in 86 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 44 T20Is over 12 years, during which he took 544 wickets. Since his retirement, he has served as a bowling consultant for various teams globally. In addition to his stints with Pakistan and LSG, Morkel has also worked with New Zealand at the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup and most recently with Namibia at the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup.
