- By Namrata Vijay
- Sat, 26 Jul 2025 08:50 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
IND vs ENG 4th Test: Morne Morkel, who is Team India's bowling coach, has dismissed injury concerns for star pacer Jasprit Bumrah and reckoned that the other fast bowlers need to be more energetic as their speeds did drop a bit on the third day of the ongoing Test match. The team management and the Indian fans were fretting as Bumrah was seen leaving the field during the second session and came back only around the tea break.
Even though he did bowl, he was seen getting troubled by his left ankle and was also having problems maintaining rhythm while bowling during the third session. He was able to dismiss Jamie Smith towards the fag end of the day and registered figures of 95/1 after bowling in 28 overs. Mohammed Siraj, too, was seen having a hard time owing to a niggle, but shook it off and continued to bowl.
During the post-match press conference, Morkel revealed that Bumrah did roll his ankles while climbing down the stairs, and Siraj also did the same while standing near the footholes. Morkel also emphasised that both these bowlers are fine currently.
"Yeah, unfortunately, when we took the second new ball, Bumrah rolled his ankles going down the stairs, and then Siraj also, I think, rolled his foot in one of the footholes. But they, they seem to be OK," Morkel told reporters during the post-match press conference.
Indian pacers and their dropping speeds
What surprised everyone on the third day was the Indian fast bowlers lacking energy and were seen bowling at lower speeds than their normal speed. Bumrah, who usually bowled at more than 140kph, was bowling in the 120 to 130 range. Anshul Kamboj also bowled less than 120, and that led to questions being raised about the fitness of the fast bowlers.
Morkel admitted that the team management is working on this issue, and on a flat surface, the bowlers should remain energetic so that they can take wickets regularly. He admitted that the workload of these bowlers got a little bit heavier, and that is one of the reasons why there was a drop in their speed.
"That's something that we're also trying to get our heads around. On a surface where it gets a little bit flatter, you need a little bit of energy behind the ball, and I think, you know, that's definitely one of the factors for us so far in our bowling innings is just getting that little bit of extra zip off the wicket to create the opportunities for caught behind and LBW. But yeah, to look at the workloads of the guys like Siraj and those sorts of guys. They've had heavy workloads. For Anshul, it's his first Test match so far, and it's important for us that we want to grow and develop a nice fast bowling unit," he added.
"So, not to judge on that. I think it is also a heavier sort of outfield. But in terms of commitment and effort that the guys have put in, I don't think we can fault that. But it's just that, you know, that's a good point you made. You needed a little bit of energy on the ball on, on good surfaces where the ball at times is not doing as much," he concluded.
The Ben Stokes-led side were 533/7 at stumps on the third day and were leading by 186 runs.