Gabba Test: We are leaking runs with old ball, says bowling coach Morne Morkel | Cricket News
Team India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, admits that the Indian bowlers were unable to control the run flow as the ball aged, allowing Australia’s centurions, Travis Head and Steve Smith, to capitalise on the opportunity.
At stumps, Australia was 405-7, with Head scoring a characterically brilliant 152 and Smith completing a more circumspect 101 in a 241-run partnership that revived the hosts after a precarious start on Sunday.
“Travis Head is in excellent form. You have to give him credit,” Morkel told reporters.
“Our bowling between overs 50 to 80 has been leaking runs, which is an area we need to work on.
“They put us under pressure as the ball aged. We need to execute our game plans better,” he said.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah celebrates after taking the wicket off Australia’s Usman Khawaja during play on day two of the third cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. (AP)
Jasprit Bumrah, currently the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, took 5 for 72 and tormented Australia’s top-order batters on a Gabba pitch offering plenty of assance for bowlers under overcast skies early on Sunday.
“Akash Deep bowled really well today. Siraj suffered from cramps but later executed the bouncer plan. Bumrah is the world’s No. 1 bowler,” said Morkel.
“Jadeja didn’t have much game time before this. He has a lot of experience. We wanted a left-arm spinner, but unfortunately, today wasn’t his day,” he said.
India’s Mohammed Siraj appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of Australia’s Steve Smith during play on day two of the third cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia. (AP)
Head’s ninth Test century, scored off 115 balls with 13 fours, continued his rich vein of form against India, including centuries in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, the One-Day World Cup final in India in 2023, and a match-turning 140 in his hometown of Adelaide in the second Test last week.
“Our plan for Travis in this game was to bowl over the wicket and bowl straight. He had handled our around-the-stump plan well in earlier games,” said Morkel.
“This surface also takes some time to get used to bowling on. You don’t want to be too short or too floaty. Good-length balls were going over the stumps,” he said.
Regarding the decision to bowl first, Morkel said, “Rain was forecast for a couple of days. We thought if we got the ball in the right areas, we could take a few wickets. Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way.”
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