Live Update: Morkel: Mayank, Prince ‘still learning the trade’ in small windows Morne Morkel also spoke about the importance of India developing part-time seamers The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 The smile of a champion – Mohammed Siraj picked up five wickets in a ten-ball period, India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup final, Colombo, September 17, 2023 Alyssa Healy poses with the trophy after Australia retained the Ashes, England vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Women’s Ashes, Taunton, July 18, 2023 The standards by which Harmanpreet Kaur was eventually judged was reflective of what she had helped create as ctain Harmanpreet Kaur walks off the field after India’s big win against Netherlands, India Women vs Netherlands Women, T20 World Cup 2026, Leeds, June 17, 2026 Mandhana, who has been part of the side since 2013, has previously led India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs Smriti Mandhana looks on in the field, India vs South Africa, Women’s World Cup final, Navi Mumbai, November 2, 2025 Ind vs Zim – Niki Prasad, Jintimani Kalita and Nandani Sharma the new faces in Smriti Mandhana-led white-ball sides Shafali Verma has been elevated to the vice-ctaincy of the T20I side, while Dee Sharma will do the job in the ODI side for the games against Zimbabwe India U-19 ctain Niki Prasad is all smiles, India vs South Africa, Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup warm-ups, Malaysia, January 15, 2025 Harmanpreet Kaur ctained India to back-to-back Asian Games gold medal, India vs Sri Lanka, Asian Games women’s competition final, Nisshin, September 22, 2026 Everyone thought he was a late-order hitter and an occasional bowler.
West Indies – and India too – found out in the first T20I that Naman Dhir is a match-winning offspinner too Naman Dhir picked up two key wickets on debut, India vs West Indies, 1st T20I, Lucknow, October 6, 2026 Shreyas Iyer hammered a 42-ball century to help India over the line, India vs West Indies, 1st T20I, Lucknow, October 6, 2026 Tanmay Baloda picked up eight wickets in the second Australia Under-19 innings to set up a target of just 11, which India Under-19 knocked off in just five balls India Under-19 star Lakshya Raichandani has scored prolifically over the past year, moving from one format to the other without a pause, seemingly without any problems Lakshya Raichandani tonned up in the second innings, Sri Lanka Under-19 vs India Under-19, 2nd Youth Test, 3rd day, Colombo, July 22, 2026 Rajat Patidar scored a valiant fifty in India A’s chase of 275 but they slid to a 125-run defeat in the first unofficial ODI Nathan McSweeney hits through the off side, India A vs Australia A, 1st one-dayer, Puducherry, October 6, 2026 Priyansh Arya is in India A’s squad to face the visiting Australia A side for three one-dayers, and trusts his high-risk-high-reward game to give him the results Priyansh Arya plays down the ground, Sri Lanka A vs India A, 1st match, One-day tri-series, Dambulla, June 9, 2026 Scott will feature in the one-day series against India A after his exploits in the Big Bash League and recent unofficial Test series in Puducherry After years of setbacks and self-imposed pressure, a new outlook has given Renshaw the balance to embrace an unexpected three-format international comeback For the players coming into the Australia side after Sandpergate, it was bittersweet, but also a dream come true The Australian team during the national anthems, South Africa v Australia, 4th Test, Johannesburg, 1st day, March 30, 2018 Cameron Green reacts after copping a blow while batting, South Africa vs Australia, 3rd ODI, Potchefstroom, September 30, 2026 The ghosts of Sandpergate still hang over the rivals as Australia make it back to the country for the first Test tour since 2018 Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins, the two ctains, wait to walk out with their players, Australia vs South Africa, World Test Championship final, Lord’s, June 11, 2025 Varun Chakravarthy is also back for India after missing the Asian Games, while Ravi Bishnoi has been left out Bhuvneshwar Kumar ran through Mumbai Indians’ top order, Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians, IPL, Raipur, May 10, 2026 Dhruv Jurel has been named the ctain of the side, while Rishabh Pant has been picked but his participation will be subject to fitness Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul had a job to do after being in the field for close to two days, India vs South Africa, 2nd Test, Guwahati, 2nd day, November 23, 2025 Rishabh Pant is back at Delhi Citals from Lucknow Super Giants, and Yuvraj Singh is expected to join the franchise as batting coach Tanmay Baloda picked up eight wickets in the second Australia Under-19 innings to set up a target of just 11, which India Under-19 knocked off in just five balls India ‘s T20I batting line-up promises plenty of destruction. Their bowling, though, will face a different test in the five-match T20I series against West Indies starting Tuesday with no Jasprit Bumrah, and batting-friendly surfaces ready to be laid out. For bowling coach Morne Morkel , it offers an opportunity to learn about India’s bowling progress with a T20 World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics still two years away, particularly with Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav , up-and-coming pace bowlers who have more IPL experience than T20I experience.
“They are both young and are still learning their trade,” Morkel said. “Sometimes the challenge is that you have them for a small window of time and then they go away. Although we keep in touch and stay connected, it is hard to keep your personal touch as a bowling coach on them.
Then they come back and we work on a couple of things. That is something we can try in the future to make better. I am excited to see how they go with this opportunity.” Tuesday will mark the second anniversary of Mayank’s India debut, but he has played only five more T20Is in the two years since due to debilitating injuries in an era where India have had an overdose of white-ball cricket opportunities across continents.
A fitter, more rounded version of him emerged during the T20I series in Zimbabwe in June. Alongside his pace, he has also developed a slower ball to make himself less predictable, one such moment occurring during this year’s IPL when he outfoxed Rohit Sharma. Prince, on the other hand, has had a swift rise into the India team following a landmark IPL 2026 that saw him swing the ball both ways, surprise batters with a short ball and deliver pinpoint yorkers.
A world-class delivery to dismiss Virat Kohli in the IPL also showed his potency against the world’s best batters. That has seen him play six T20Is and three ODIs since his debut this summer. Morkel, however, has spent little time with both seamers because the support staff and coaching management were split during concurrent tours.
The Gautam Gambhir-led coaching staff, for example, was in the UK and did not go to Zimbabwe, where the squad was accompanied by VVS Laxman instead. “If you look at Mayank, immediately what comes to mind is his pace, his X-factor,” Morkel told reporters in Lucknow. “For a young player to get through that and then again find himself in a situation to play for India just shows attitude.
For me, Prince was a net bowler [in the IPL] a couple of years ago and is now playing for India. At the end of the day, you want guys in a squad or playing for India who have fantastic attitudes, who are keen to keep working hard, because those guys will deliver for the team.” India’s search for more bowling oons – including for four-over spells – extends to Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy. On grounds like Lucknow, known for wide boundaries and the game being played on the centre pitch on Tuesday, Morkel said part-time seamers enter the conversation more.
“We are going to keep asking those guys to work hard at training and nets,” he said. “You never know, in certain conditions, the ball might grip a little bit more and it might suit one guy, and then they will become four-over bowlers. It is about always keeping these guys ready, and, from there, reading the conditions, reading what the wicket is doing, and boundary sizes.
We have got a luxury here that it is quite a big field, so these guys come into the conversation a lot more.” India also have to make a choice over who partners Abhishek Sharma at the top: Sanju Samson or Vaibhav Sooryavanshi . While Sooryavanshi opened in the UK this summer and in the Asian Games recently, Samson opened the batting during the three-match series in Delhi against Afghanistan and the one-off T20I against Jan, but moved down to No. 3 in the two knockout games at the Asian Games.
“I am pretty sure Gautam will look to rotate them,” Morkel said. “The guys just came back from the Asian Games, so we want to see how everybody is feeling after jet lag, after travelling, and then from there make the plan.” Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma gave India a flying start, India vs New Zealand, final, Ahmedabad, T20 World Cup, March 8, 2026 Morkel said that even if Sooryavanshi doesn’t play, there is value in being part of the squad since he can watch experienced players prepare. “If he is not getting that game time, he is still on a bus, in the dugout, in the hotel with guys with a lot of experience,” Morkel said.
“I think, with him, sharing that dressing room and talking to guys, just actually watching how the guys go through their processes and how they set up will be key. “So I always challenge him. I say, ‘watch what this guy is doing in training.
How does he face his first 15 balls when the wicket is tough? What sort of game plan has he come up with?’ “For any young player, if he gets game time or if that game time is a little bit limited, it is still our job to make sure that these guys learn, they grow and they ask questions.” I always ask him on the bus, ‘What is the one thing you have learned today? Tell me what you think about that guy’s batting’.
That makes him think, and I think next time he comes to the nets, the sort of things he will observe, he will adt to his game.” Sooryavanshi – along with Mayank, Prince, Naman Dhir and Reddy – were the only five players who practiced during India’s oonal training session on Monday. India have never lost a T20I at the Ekana Stadium and are aiming to make it five wins in a row at the venue. IND vs WI, 1st T20I – Morne Morkel on Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav – ‘You want guys with fantastic attitudes’ story: story:1557225+ IND vs WI, 1st T20I – Morne Morkel on Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav – ‘You want guys with fantastic attitudes’ | WI add Amir Jangoo as cover for injured Jewel Andrew for T20Is No guarantees for Sooryavanshi as India look to build on Asian Games success Sreshth Shah reported on .
