Morne Morkel spills beans on nervousness and Indian dressing room banter before ENG Tests

Team India bowling coach has Morne Morkel opened up about the team's limited red-ball preparation ahead of the upcoming five-match Test series in England. Morkel admitted to feeling “a little bit nervous” about the lack of red-ball match practice but added that the Indian bowling attack has variety.

India are set to begin their new World Test Championship cycle with the five-match Test series in England. This will be India's first red-ball outing since the Sydney Test against Australia in early January. The team's preparations were impacted by the IPL 2025 season, which was suspended for a week.

I Think Consistency Is Crucial in England - Morne Morkel

Morne Morkel said that consistency, both in training and off the field, is vital for success in English conditions. He added that the Indian pace unit has a range of skills and is capable of executing the basics well despite the challenges.

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"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," Morkel said on the sidelines of India's training session here.

"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," he added in a video shared by BCCI.

I Was a Little Bit Nervous - Morne Morkel

Morne Morkel said that the team has begun preparations despite initial concerns over their lack of recent red-ball action. Morkel admitted that he was a little bit nervous but was encouraged by the players' energy and commitment during training over the past three days.

"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," Morkel continued.

"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."

India are set to begin a four-day intra-squad warm-up match against India A from Friday. The game will serve as crucial preparation ahead of the Test series. Several players, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, are preparing for their first-ever Test series on English soil.

There's Been a Lot of Good Banter - Morne Morkel

The former South African pacer believes the Test pitches in England may not be as challenging as the ones experienced during recent practice sessions. He warned that flatter pitches during the series will test the bowlers' character.

"There's been a lot of good banter between bat and ball but I think it's only because the wickets are a lit bit spicy. As soon as the wickets go flat, the bowlers tend to back off," Morkel opined.

"I'm going to tell them not to only talk when the wickets are nipping around but when its flat, that's where we're going to need the character at all times."

India are aiming to secure their first Test series victory in England since 2007. The upcoming five-match series will begin with the opening Test at Headingley in Leeds on June 20.

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