Brisbane, Dec 15 (NationPress) India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel acknowledged the urgent need for enhancements in managing run leakage when the ball ages, particularly between 50-80 overs. On day two at the Gabba, Travis Head and Steve Smith capitalized on Indian bowling, scoring centuries and propelling Australia to 405/7 in 101 overs.

“To start with, we must commend players who perform consistently, hitting back-to-back centuries. However, from a bowling perspective, we’ve fallen short from overs 50 to 80, allowing runs to slip through, as seen in the previous match,” stated Morkel.

“Initially this morning, our bowling was commendable, at 3 for 70, but we cannot diminish the efforts of two outstanding players. We know Steve Smith is capable of substantial scoring, and their partnership escalated pressure on us with a softer ball.”

“This is certainly an aspect we must concentrate on, particularly deeper into the innings regarding our game strategies. We possess the plans, but are we executing them effectively against a softer ball from both ends? This is a discussion we need to have to improve,” Morkel elaborated during the post-day press conference.

He also discussed the strategies devised to counter Head, which ultimately proved ineffective as the left-handed batsman scored 152. “Our strategy was to bowl more over the wicket, maintaining a straighter line. He had previously handled it well in Adelaide when we switched tactics.”

“The margins against him are razor-thin, and once he’s settled in, we need to determine the best approach to potentially slow his scoring rate, knowing he will be aggressive.”

When asked to evaluate his bowlers’ performance on day two, Morkel emphasized the importance of support for fast-bowling leader Jasprit Bumrah, who was remarkable with figures of 5-72.

“Akash Deep bowled admirably, putting in great effort, and (Mohammed) Siraj pushed through despite cramping early in the day. For him to continue bowling was commendable. Bumrah is the world’s top bowler, and we need others to support him; however, I can’t fault the dedication of the other seamers.”

“Akash posed challenging questions with the new ball and continued to do so with the older ball; on another day, he could have easily claimed three wickets, but that’s the nature of the sport.”

Morkel also defended left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who had a challenging day, conceding 76 runs in 16 overs. “Jaddu came into this match with limited game time, but he has a track record of taking numerous Test wickets.”

“We intended to incorporate the left-arm option, and he also contributes significantly with the bat. Unfortunately, today wasn’t his day; he is a world-class player and will navigate through this,” he concluded.