"We were going to be heavy with left-handers, they are aggressive....": Morkel on India's lefty-heavy line-up
Ahmedabad, February 20
Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel reflected on Team India's left-hander-heavy batting line-up in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, stating that the side is packed with aggressive players capable of putting any bowling attack under pressure.
From Abhishek Sharma to Shivam Dube, India's squad features as many as seven left-handed batters in their squad. Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel believes India's left-hander-heavy lineup is packed with aggressive batters.
Morkel believes once they hit their rhythm, they'll pressure any bowling attack, even if opponents try to swing the ball away from them.
Morkel was talking to the reporters in Ahmedabad on Friday, where the Indian team is scheduled to play their first Super 8 fixture of the ongoing T20 World Cup against last season's runner-up South Africa on February 22.
"We were going to be heavy with left-handers. But if you look at those left-handers, they are aggressive players. I think those batters and bowlers will have sleepless nights bowling to them. That's the way we're set up at the moment," he said.
"I do feel once we get going again, we find that flow that we're going to put bowling units under a lot of pressure. So yes, I'm pretty sure they're going to do a lot of planning. They'll think of ways to take the ball away from the left-handers up front. But at the end of the day, I think we've got enough skill there with those guys to come up and take those challenges on," he added.
After remaining unbeaten in Group A, the defending champions head into the Super Eight stage with confidence.
India will begin its Super Eight campaign against South Africa at Ahmedabad on February 22, followed by a clash against upbeat and undefeated Zimbabwe at Chennai on February 26, and will conclude against the West Indies at Kolkata on March 1.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting perspective from Morkel. It shows how much thought goes into team composition. The left-right combination has always been key in T20, but stacking one side so heavily is a bold move. Hope it pays off in the Super 8s!
While the aggression is good, I hope we don't become too one-dimensional. What if we face a quality left-arm pacer who can swing it back in? We need our right-handers like Virat and Surya to be in top form too. Just a thought!
Morkel saab knows what he's talking about! Our lefties can tear apart any attack on their day. Remember Yuvraj Singh's six sixes? This lineup has that same destructive potential. Bring on the Proteas! 💥
The confidence is good, but the real test is in the knockout stages. We've been unbeaten so far, but Super 8 is a different ball game. Hope the "flow" Morkel mentions comes quickly against a strong South African bowling unit.
Love this aggressive mindset! It's not just about having left-handers, it's about having *aggressive* left-handers. That's the key difference. Teams will be forced to bowl their weaker bowlers more often. Smart planning by the team management.
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