India bowling coach Morne Morkel said the team is focused on building a strong pool of fast bowlers ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. The former Proteas fast bowler said that India have several reliable pace options available for the tournament, adding that they want to give them international exposure.
India will face Afghanistan in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Saturday, June 13. With Jasprit Bumrah rested and Mohammed Siraj unavailable, uncapped fast bowlers Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar can make their international debut.
It's Different Playing International Cricket With That Indian Badge - Morne Morkel on Young Pacers
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Morne Morkel stated that India are keen to give opportunities to young fast bowlers ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. The bowling coach said the team management wants to see how emerging players handle pressure at the international level.
"That's definitely part of our thinking and our vision - to give ourselves options for that World Cup in South Africa," Morkel said on the eve of the first ODI in Dharamsala. "It's good for Indian cricket that we give guys opportunities under pressure against good opposition and see what they can do."
"Luckily we've got two guys now in Prince and Gurnoor in our squad. I'm pretty sure Gautam (Gambhir) will give those guys opportunities and see how they go in the Indian shirt. It's different playing international cricket with that Indian badge."
I Saw No Nervousness in Their Faces - Morne Morkel Impressed by Young Pacers
Morne Morkel praised Prince Yadav and Gurnoor Brar for the way they have settled into the Indian squad. The bowling coach said both uncapped fast bowlers trained with confidence and showed impressive energy and accuracy during practice sessions.
"My first impressions, it is sort of almost like I felt they'd been part of the squad for five years. I saw no nervousness in their faces, although I can imagine coming into this squad they would be pretty nervous."
"I think the way they've gone about training, the energy they trained with, was very nice and good to see. In terms of their skills, I can also see that they've done a lot of work on that. They were on the money, accurate."
The Goal Is to Peak at the Right Time - Morne Morkel on India's World Cup Preparations
Morne Morkel said that India are focused on improving their ODI game ahead of the 2027 World Cup. The bowling coach stated that the team management is taking lessons from recent tours to strengthen the squad and fine-tune its approach in the 50-over format.
"For me, it is just taking the learnings from South Africa, taking the learnings from New Zealand and looking for improvement in our white-ball game, especially in our 50-over game," he said. "That's the goal now - looking for small improvements and making sure when we come to the World Cup next year, we're peaking at the right time."
Prince Yadav earned his maiden India call-up after finishing as Lucknow Super Giants' leading wicket-taker in IPL 2026. The pacer claimed 16 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 28.68, with best figures of 3/32.
Gurnoor Brar, meanwhile, did not feature for Gujarat Titans during IPL 2026 but has impressed in domestic cricket. The 6-foot-4 left-arm pacer has taken 52 wickets in 18 first-class matches at an average of 27.30, along with 12 wickets in nine List A matches.
