Morkel provides fitness updates on Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer with the latter already beginning his rehab programme.
Morkel: Gill is recovering well, Iyer has started rehab.
Morne Morkel, the bowling coach for India, is optimistic that Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer will soon return to the team.
Iyer has been absent since he cut his spleen during the tour to Australia last month, and Gill sustained a neck injury during the Kolkata Test two weeks ago.
Yashasvi Jaiswal will probably take Gill’s spot in the ODI team, but it’s still uncertain who might take Iyer’s slot at No. 4, with Rishabh Pant and Tilak Varma in the running.
After giving up their sense of invincibility at home, India is under tremendous strain. They had lost five of their last seven Test matches going into this ODI series. The team has had time to consider what went wrong, according to Morkel, and switching to the white-ball style will help them refocus.
“I think the best is for the medical [team] to give that [update],” Morkel said in Ranchi on Friday. “I spoke to Shubman two days ago just to check in with him and he is recovering well. So, that is pleasing to hear.
“Shreyas has also started his rehab, which is great. So, we are looking forward to welcoming them back into the squad. The good thing is that they are healthy and they are starting their preparation on their way back into the team.”
“Look, it’s a change of colour by clothing and it’s a change of ball which always brings a different energy,” Morkel said. “But I feel you know the South African team, they have that momentum with them and a confident Protea team is a dangerous team. It will be important to start well, for us to play good cricket over the next week or two, because they’re here to win.
“Luckily, we have got some good experience ahead now in the team. For us, it is now focus for the next two days. Give ourselves the best opportunity to prepare well and go out there and put the last couple of weeks behind us and really focus on playing solid cricket.”