- By Gurmeet Batra
- Wed, 05 Nov 2025 03:46 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India vs Australia 4th T20I: Bowling coach Morne Morkel emphasised that young pacer Arshdeep Singh's experience would help him navigate the ups and downs of selection, as the team management is experimenting with various combinations.
Arshdeep was named player of the match on his comeback to the playing eleven in the third T20 International against Australia in Hobart. The pacer's absence from the initial two matches was due to the team's strategy of not playing him and Kuldeep Yadav together.
Ahead of the fourth T20I against Australia at the Carrara Oval in Queensland, Morkel said the young speedster's experience will help him grasp the Indian team management's broader vision.
"Arshdeep is experienced and he knows that we are looking at the bigger picture and trying out different combinations. He knows he is a world-class bowler and has taken most wickets in the Powerplay," Morkel told mediapersons ahead of the fourth T20 International here on Thursday.
"We know how valuable he is to the team and but we also needed to look at other combinations and he understands that," he added.
Morkel, however, revealed that for a bowler of Arshdeep's calibre, it hasn't exactly been easy.
"It is not easy, There will always be disappointment in terms of players and selection, but that is something at times that, as a player, is uncontrollable," the former Proteas great tried to rationalise the decisions taken.
As the series enters its final stages, Morkel and the coaching staff are encouraging players to grab the moment and perform under pressure.
"For us, from our side, we just keep on asking them to work hard and be ready for when they do get the opportunity. There are limited games now leading into the T20 World Cup," the bowling coach added.
"So, it is essential for us to see how the players can react in certain situations under pressure; otherwise, it will be unknown to us. So, it is a bit of playing those sort of games and then still having the mindset to win the game of cricket," said Morkel.
For the bowling coach, it is only fair that they check on multiple options.
"You need to have options available. I think every team, if you look across the world, is playing around with options," he said adding that unless they experiment, they would never know what works on a given day.
"...I think in this game you need to be adaptable. You need to know where certain players can give you options in different roles. And if you are not going to try those roles and see how they handle the pressure in those situations, you are never going to know," he added.