Jasprit Bumrah Brings the Heat: Morkel Hails India's Pace Ace Ahead of England Clash

By Mehr Jan

As India’s summer tour of England gets underway, fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel can’t help but marvel at Jasprit Bumrah’s early showing. 

Three net sessions into the series buildup, Morkel is already convinced that the pace spearhead is primed for a big impact — if handled smartly.

“His energy on the ball has been incredible these last few days,” Morkel said Wednesday. “It’s exciting to see his body in such good shape. He knows exactly how to prepare himself.”

That said, Morkel emphasized that India will take a cautious route with their pace ace. 

Head coach Gautam Gambhir had earlier hinted that Bumrah might feature in only three of the five Tests to manage his workload, particularly given his history of back injuries. 

A final decision on which matches he’ll play is still pending, hinging on both his fitness and the flow of the series.

Tuning Up Behind Closed Doors

India’s road to the first Test at Headingley — set for June 20 — begins with a three-day intra-squad match starting June 6 in Beckenham. 

The game will be held behind closed doors and include players from the main Test squad along with members of the India A side that recently wrapped up a pair of four-day matches against the England Lions.

While Bumrah leads the attack, India also has Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep among the seam options. In addition, Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy are in the mix as seam-bowling allrounders.

Whether the team opts for a fourth specialist quick or leans on an allrounder will depend on conditions and balance. However, neither Thakur nor Reddy looked particularly sharp during the India A fixtures, raising questions about who might edge ahead for the Leeds Test.

Morkel, though, remains bullish on Reddy’s potential.

Reddy's Dual Role Could Be Key

Morkel wants to see more of Reddy with ball in hand, highlighting his value as a multi-dimensional player.

“I’ve challenged him to bowl more,” the coach revealed. “We already know what he brings with the bat, but in these English conditions, if he can contribute with the ball as well, he becomes a huge asset. He could complement this attack really well.”

India’s bowlers won’t have much room for error once the series kicks off. 

With England expected to play their trademark aggressive style, Morkel stressed the need for his players to hit their stride right out of the gate.

“England will punish any mistakes. The way they play, we need to be sharp from ball one,” he said. “There’s no time to ease into the series.”