The three-match ODI series is slated to begin on September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram.
India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has highlighted that the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, starting Sunday (September 27), is the beginning of the road for the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in Africa.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Morkel explained that testing backup pace-bowling options like Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar under high-pressure scenarios is crucial for mapping out squad depth well in advance.
“I think if you look at the last year, we've been trying to give guys some game time and see in different roles how they react. It will be the same now leading into the series and looking at New Zealand (series),” Morkel told reporters.
“To give guys opportunity with ball in hand…I think it's very important for these guys (Prasidh, Brar) to get the game time, to get a feel of the standard that we're looking to play. So yeah, I think in this series there will definitely be opportunities given to guys to see what they can do in their different roles,” he added.
Morkel stressed that he wants bowlers to actively ask for the ball in tough situations rather than bowl defensively to protect their spots.
“We've challenged the bowlers when conditions are tough or there's certain partnerships that are developing. I want to see guys asking for the ball and wanting to create those opportunities and not be sort of protecting their own space," the former Proteas pacer stated.
For Morkel, the West Indies series serves as an audition to see how fringe players respond to different roles and challenging situations, like breaking strong partnerships.
“I think that will be a great goal for us if we can develop that attitude where guys want tough situations. You know, if we are maybe 30 for 4, who's going to get that partnership and get us a hundred?
“So if we can throw ourselves into certain situations and guys can figure out ways to play that situation there will be growth and that will help us down the line,” he elaborated.
Morkel revealed the team management is coordinating with the BCCI Centre of Excellence medical staff to map out return-to-play frameworks for recovering players like Harshit Rana.
“We have got Harshit and all those guys who are still on the sidelines. We're excited to get them back and get them playing and get them fit again. So, that's part of our jobs to sit with the medical staff and map that out."
“But there's definitely a plan for every individual. We'll keep on monitoring that and coming up with the best way forward to give the selectors a group to pick from,” he said.
The bowling coach acknowledged that it was frustrating to see frontline bowlers such as Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy repeatedly miss matches due to injuries, but backed India’s bench strength to step up.
“Yeah, I mean, it is (frustrating). Obviously, you want to have your strongest and condition-wise the best 11 on the field. But certainly it's part of the game that, you know, the guys getting injured at times where we didn't ideally want them to fall injured."
“But, yeah, luckily, we've got a fantastic back-up in the wings. It's a great opportunity, again, for guys to, you know, to go and play a game for India, to make a name for themselves and to compete.
“But, you know, really, hopefully, we can get all the injuries now out of the way. And later down the year, we'll be fine and we can take it on from there,” he noted.
Morkel emphasized that building a core bowling unit cannot happen a few weeks before the World Cup; the preparation cycle must begin immediately.
“For me, at the end of the day whoever walks onto the field now, up to the World Cup, starting on Sunday, needs to know that there is a certain standard we need to achieve. I want these players to put themselves under as much pressure,” Morkel said.
“I think the World Cup is the biggest stage. You can't decide a month or a week before the tournament now that we're going to step things up. I think it starts now with this series against the West Indies,” he remarked.
(With PTI Inputs)