India bowling coach Morne Morkel has urged the team and supporters to exercise patience with Bhuvneshwar Kumar following the veteran seamer’s challenging return to international cricket. Bhuvneshwar, 36, has found the going tough in the ongoing five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Christchurch, where India currently holds a 2-0 lead. Despite picking up a wicket in each of the first two games, the experienced bowler has leaked runs at an economy rate of 12.37, conceding 49 and 50 runs respectively from his full quota of overs.
The series marks Bhuvneshwar’s first appearance in any format for India since November 2022, when he played the fifth T20I against the West Indies in Bengaluru. His long-awaited comeback was earned through consistent, match-winning performances in the Indian Premier League, where he claimed 17 and 28 wickets respectively in consecutive seasons to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru capture back-to-back titles.
Speaking ahead of the third T20I in Wellington, Morkel addressed the external scrutiny surrounding the fast bowler and offered a clear message of support. The former South African pace spearhead emphasized that the jump back to the international stage after a four-year hiatus brings unique pressures that require time to navigate.
"Look, I’ve got a lot of sympathy for his return," Morkel said at a press conference. "The reason why I say that is, one, there will be expectation after four years to come out. He’s done exceptionally well in the IPL. He’s bowled really well. One is to block the expectation factor out."
Morkel also pointed to the limited preparation window available to Bhuvneshwar ahead of the tour due to a congested cricket calendar. While the bowler maintained his fitness through training regimes, international cricket operates at a different intensity where the margins for error are exceptionally slim.
"Two, leading into his selection, I mean, there was a month of cricket where, yes, he trained, but this is a different beast coming and playing international cricket where the margins are small. So he had to come in with limited training because of the schedule to get himself ready," Morkel explained.
Despite the heavy run-scoring in Christchurch, the coaching staff remains confident in Bhuvneshwar’s pedigree. Morkel stressed that the skill and vast experience that made him a stalwart of Indian bowling remain entirely intact.
"So the skill and his experience, everything is there. But at the end of the day, we have to respect the game of cricket and you have to be able to allow him to just find his feet in some of the games," Morkel said. "And for me, that has been the message from the start when he joined the squad, is to, you know, don’t chase anything. Just be you. Yes, there will be expectations. But just every game you’ll get better, and every game you’ll find your rhythm. So let’s not think about any outside noises. Just be you and connect with that."
Alongside Bhuvneshwar’s integration, India has engaged in some tactical rotation for their third pace-bowling slot during the opening games at Christchurch. Mayank Yadav took the field in the series opener, returning figures of 1 for 40, before making way for Prince Yadav in the second encounter, where the latter picked up 1 for 30.
Morkel clarified that the swap between the two fast bowlers was purely tactical rather than a reflection of performance. The team management identified specific requirements for bowling at the Christchurch venue, particularly when defending totals or bowling second under heavy dew.
"That was just purely a tactical sort of change we felt was needed at that venue," Morkel said. "It’s no secret that Prince, at the death first, bowling his yorkers, he’s somebody that executes that quite well. And it was sort of just felt that if we – the learnings from the game one – had to bowl second and the ball is wet, and, you know, taking into consideration the dimensions of the field, to be one of the guys with a high percentage of nailing the yorkers."
At the same time, Morkel expressed strong encouragement for Mayank Yadav, noting that international exposure is a vital learning curve for a young and raw fast bowler.
"I felt Mayank bowled really well in that first game. So it’s definitely not because of performance. But again, Mayank, for me, I think it’s sometimes good for a young boy like that to play a game, give him a little bit of time to reflect, understand bowling, because he’s still raw, and he still needs to understand a lot in terms of how to read and how to set up an over. So I think for a young boy, I’d say that’s not a bad thing. And then Prince, obviously, you know, he can bowl fast, again, in all phases of the game. And his execution is just slightly higher."
As the squad shifts focus to Wellington for the third T20I, the players face a distinctly different challenge posed by local weather conditions. Known unofficially as the windiest city in the world, Wellington is currently experiencing exceptionally gusty conditions that have already prompted the closure of the city’s waterfront after cyclists were blown off their bikes. Rain has also been forecast for match day.
Morkel acknowledged the severity of the elements, recounting how the winds were strong enough to cause noticeable tremors through his hotel building on the morning of the press conference. He viewed the conditions as a unique test that the team must embrace without making excuses.
"This is a different beast, this wind. I was in the hotel this morning, and the whole building was sort of shaking," Morkel said with a half-smile. "So I think it’s going to be a new sort of thing that we add to our books for the guys to get used to and accustomed with, with a quick turnaround. But yeah, for us, again, it is looking forward to that challenge and taking it head-on, and not really making excuses."
The bowling coach noted that strong winds can heavily influence various aspects of play, including batting stances and ball trajectory. With only a brief window for warm-ups and training to gauge the impact, players will ultimately need to rely on mental discipline during match situations.
"I think this wind can impact a lot of things. It can impact batting, your stance, it can impact many factors. But like I said, you’ve got a short little window where a warm-up and a training that you can now try and get an understanding from how it’s going to affect you. And then when it comes to game time, you have to block that out, and really just try and execute every delivery and make every ball count."
Drawing on his own playing days, which included two Test matches at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, Morkel offered lighthearted advice to players experiencing these conditions for the first time. When contacted by cricketers back in India asking about the local climate, his response was characteristically direct.
"I think we’ve spoken about Wellington, especially before the start of the tour. We’ve planted those seeds. I spoke to some of the boys who were back in India last night and they asked what the conditions are like. And I said, make sure you get a very strong fan at home and you walk into the fan because that is going to be your preparation," Morkel said with a laugh.
Having toured New Zealand previously with South Africa, Morkel understands that true adaptation takes time that touring teams simply do not have. Instead, success hinges entirely on how players choose to frame the challenge psychologically.
"You’re either going to see it as a challenge or you’re going to see it as a negative or it’s going to let you down… And at the end of the day, you need somebody to put their hand up and bowl into the wind because we can’t have four guys bowling with the wind."
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