Pakistan bowlers thought Morne Morkel was nothing: Basit Ali
Morne Morkel, the former South African fast bowler, recently joined the Indian cricket team as a coach. His tenure began on a high note with Jasprit Bumrah and other Indian bowlers delivering an outstanding performance in the first Test against Bangladesh. This marks a significant shift from Morkel's previous coaching stint with Pakistan, which ended prematurely after their group-stage exit from the ODI World Cup 2023.
Morkel's stint with Pakistan and early departure
Morkel began his coaching journey with the Pakistan cricket team in June last year. However, his tenure was cut short after Pakistan's disappointing performance at the ODI World Cup, leading to their early exit. The Pakistani bowlers failed to meet expectations under Morkel's guidance during this crucial ICC event held in India, resulting in him leaving the team with six weeks remaining on his contract.
Basit Ali criticizes Pakistan bowlers for belittling Morkel
Former cricketer Basit Ali has criticized the Pakistan bowling unit for their attitude toward Morkel during his coaching stint. "The Pakistani bowlers consider themselves to be bigger than cricket. They thought that Morkel was nothing in front of us," Ali stated on his YouTube channel. He also highlighted the stark contrast between Indian and Pakistani players' mindsets, as evident in their recent performances against Bangladesh.
India's triumphant performance under Morkel's guidance
Under Morkel's guidance, the Indian team secured a resounding victory in the opening Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. The match ended with more than a day's play left, marking an effortless 280-run triumph for India. In the first innings, fast bowlers Bumrah (4/50), Mohammed Siraj (2/30), and Akash Deep (2/19) dominated Bangladesh batters, forcing them to fold up on 149. Ravichandran Ashwin (6/88) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/58) then took control in the second innings to wrap up Bangladesh's batting line-up.
