Morne Morkel Analyzes Jasprit Bumrah's Performance in Fourth Manchester Test

In the ongoing fourth Test against England, Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel has shed light on Jasprit Bumrah's challenges with the new ball. Despite Bumrah's impressive wicket tally, Morkel emphasizes the need for better support from other bowlers to create pressure on the opposition. The discussion also touches on the exclusion of Kuldeep Yadav and the impact of IPL on the team's bowling depth. As England builds a strong lead, the focus remains on how India can adapt and improve in the remaining matches.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 26, 2025, 16:10 IST

Bumrah's Struggles with the New Ball

On the third day of the fourth Test match against England, Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel addressed the challenges faced by pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah. He highlighted that Bumrah's lack of success with the new ball can be attributed to insufficient support from his fellow bowlers, which has hindered the team's ability to apply pressure on the opposing batsmen.

Bumrah's Wicket Count

Throughout this series, Bumrah has claimed 13 wickets at an average of 26.69, including two five-wicket hauls. However, aside from dismissing openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett early in the innings, his effectiveness with the new or slightly used ball has been limited, with most of his wickets coming when the ball was significantly older.

Need for Support

Morkel emphasized the importance of support from other bowlers, stating, "I spoke with Bumrah last night. He is an incredibly skilled player who aims to make impactful plays with the ball. However, we need assistance from the other end to create pressure effectively. Currently, we are struggling to maintain that pressure from both ends."

Bowling Partnerships

He further explained that for Bumrah to achieve greater success, his teammates must collaborate effectively. Unfortunately, other bowlers have been overly aggressive in seeking wickets, which has led to conceding runs. Morkel acknowledged Bumrah's status as the world's top bowler, noting that while he will occasionally take wickets, he requires help from his fellow bowlers.

Kuldeep Yadav's Exclusion

Discussing the decision to leave out spinner Kuldeep Yadav in favor of all-rounder Washington Sundar, Morkel mentioned that the team is exploring ways to include him. However, due to previous instances of losing wickets in clusters, they feel the need for a more robust batting lineup.

Bowling Depth and IPL Impact

Morkel acknowledged that the current Test series, lacking Mohammed Shami and featuring several newer players like Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep, is a significant test of the team's bowling depth. He noted that transitioning from the IPL to a five-match Test series poses challenges in terms of conditioning and recovery for the bowlers.

England's Performance on Day 3

England began Day 3 at 225/2, with Ollie Pope and Joe Root building a century partnership. They ended the first session at 332/2, with both batsmen scoring fifties. In the second session, Washington Sundar took two wickets, but Root's century helped England reach 433/4. Despite fitness concerns for Bumrah and Siraj, England concluded the day at 544/7, leading by 186 runs.

India's First Innings

Earlier, after winning the toss, England chose to bowl first, and India managed to score 358 runs, with significant contributions from Sai Sudharsan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant. Stokes was instrumental in restricting India's scoring with his impressive bowling figures.