Here’s the full transcript of Morne Morkel’s press conference before India vs England semifinal in Mumbai.
(Reporter:)
If you can talk about the session with Varun, and How is Varun geared up for the semi-final?
(Morne Morkel:)
It’s just a normal routine session with Varun. He really enjoys just to have a single wicket practice the day before the game where he can mentally just go through his process. I mean, the conversations we’ve had is just about sort of clarity and for him just to walk away feeling good about his bowling.
(Reporter:)
Coach, team had a lengthy session yesterday, but there are news reports going on that that session was delayed by one hour due to superstition, lunar eclipse. Is there any truth to it, if you can explain?
(Morne Morkel:)
Look, I mean, I was told about the lunar eclipse and the session was pushed backwards. But I think the most important thing to focus on was the quality the guys put in at hours that they trained, which was great to see.
(Reporter:)
Morne, hi. Just wanted to check, India also hasn’t had the perfect game coming into the semi-final just like England. So what have the conversations been like in the team leading up to the big semi-final India versus England?
(Morne Morkel:)
Yeah, I mean for us, that is something we haven’t really spoken about, about the perfect game. I think the quality of this team has been shown that, on the day somebody can put their hand up and put up a performance. And then hopefully now in the last two games, especially now tomorrow night, we can we can put that that special performance in. All we can do is work hard at training. Unfortunately we all know how the game goes, that success is never guaranteed. But if we can give ourselves the best chance to go out and perform. That is what we strive for. And a big occasion tomorrow night here, semifinal, a great stadium to play a great game of cricket. So hopefully the boys can rock up tomorrow and just be calm and execute those skills.
(Reporter:)
The pitch for the first match against USA, we had a tricky one. So how does this look and are you prepared for a kind of a different approach for this?
(Morne Morkel:)
Yeah to be honest we not quite sure a day out how the wicket is going to play. I’m pretty sure you experience walking here, it’s a lot hotter all of a sudden in India. So in terms of moisture and allowing the wicket not to dry out, I think it’s going to be key or for it to play well. So again, that’s something that we can’t control. Obviously, we try and keep our bases covered as best as possible. Team selection will go in terms of what do we see on game day and then from there we just need to be smart in our skills, reading the conditions and adapting to it. Yes, plan A is you go in with some sort of idea but the key is to find that skill of how to play on the wicket on a specific night. I mean, it’s something we can’t control.
(Reporter:)
You always highlighted about the dependency factor, not to be dependent on one or two bowlers in a tournament like this, in a World Cup like this. But in the last few – since the Pakistan game, Indian bowlers have conceded more than 175 runs in each innings. And Varun, obviously, he hadn’t had the best games. So do you think that there is a little bit of reliance on Varun? Because opponents like, with due respect to Netherlands and Zimbabwe they have also got runs against our spinners and the rest of the world.
(Morne Morkel:)
They’re good teams- if you look at the scores in the World Cup and the surfaces it’s good it’s it’s been good wickets so I don’t know if you expect us to bowl every team out for 120, 150. We’re in the semi-final and we’ve won games of cricket and the guys have done well. These are times where I can remember we had Rinku and Tilak bowling in certain games, and those guys not bowling their full quota. So yeah, I think for us, it’s not how you get to the semifinals, it’s the next couple of two games, how we’re going to play that. And players, They play well. We know the margins are small in this, in India, bowling especially. So, yeah, I don’t read too much into that.
(Reporter:)
The last time the two teams played here, India won by 150 runs. I know a bilateral dead-rubber is a bit different to a T20 World Cup semi-final, but can you just touch upon the differences England have made in the 13 months since you last played them in a T20 series to now?
(Morne Morkel:)
Yeah, I think, playing against England, they’re a team that’s street smart. Obviously, there’s a lot of quality in their side, batting quite long, deep, which makes them a very dangerous side. And then with the ball also, they’ve got wicked taking options. I think the way they approach a T20 game, fearless, trying to take the game on, will give you opportunities and makes them a dangerous side. So I feel tomorrow is going to be a good shootout between two aggressive teams. And the side that can hold their nerves and play the conditions and read some of the conditions quite well and the quickest, I reckon we’ll come out on top.
(Reporter:)
Third T20 World Cup semi-final in a row against England. So what learnings can you take from the previous games, one you have won and the other one lost in 2022? And also the areas that you need to work upon apart from the catching ones?
(Morne Morkel:)
Obviously fielding is something that we speak about a lot. That I think at times we’re guilty if we’re honest of giving away maybe 15-20 runs in the field. So that’s one thing, one aspect that we keep on working hard and, asking the guys to really step up on. And then, yeah, in terms of learnings, there’s always learnings and growth that we take, but especially looking for looking at this game here, we don’t want to over-analyse too much of the past games played. I think for us it’s just again focusing on what we’ve got in front of us and we have to be at our best tomorrow to beat England.
(Reporter:)
What’s your reading about this pitch which looks pretty green at the moment? And do you expect it to remain the same?
(Morne Morkel:)
Like I said, I probably have a better indication in terms of what the surface is going to play like tomorrow. At the moment, because of the heat, they have given it a little bit of water. So it’s quite soft, so it’s quite hard to get a proper, 100% accurate read on it. But are we expecting it to be a good wicket, high scoring game? We’re preparing ourselves for tough conditions and then from there we will assess. But yeah, so I think if you go in with a mindset that it’s going to be a high scoring game and we need to be up at the standard. I’d say that’s a good place to be at.
(Reporter:)
Of course you have played a lot of cricket here at this venue and seen the other teams play and India play here. What are the real challenges which come along when you play at a venue like Wankhede? Dew, the sea breeze, the pitch offering assistance to batters, a high scoring venue. So what are the challenges like and how do you prepare your matchups and tactical calls, venue specific wise? So what are those conversations like when you prepare for a game at a venue like Wankhede?
(Morne Morkel:)
Look, I think the dew is always a big concern. But that’s again something you can’t control the toss. I think here at Wankhede there’s always that extra bit of bounce. Guys can trust the bounce and it through the line. But in saying that, that can also, as a bowler, bring you into the game. I just felt or feel that the margins here is a lot smaller, the ball travels. It’s quite a small ground. So, yeah, you just need to be really fighting that over, stay in the moment and compete every ball because like I said, a batters strength can also be his weakness on the surface. So it’s sometimes not to go too defensive and keep on attacking, because opportunities can come.
(Reporter:)
Coach, Indian team was struggling with two left-handers in the opening, and then Sanju came in Chennai, and in Kolkata, we saw what he did. What was the conversation with Sanju Samson before that game? How did you guys give him confidence? And second part is, how important will be the toss in this game?
(Morne Morkel:)
Yeah, I mean, toss will be obviously if there’s a dew, that will be important. Coming back to Sanju, quality player. I don’t think there was a lot of… I say I don’t think, but there was not a lot of conversation. He’s a guy that always works hard at the nets. And yeah, I think just that sort of opportunity he got given, he showed his class and his experience, he got the opportunity and as a guy that’s played a lot of games, he stepped up in a crucial game. From a coaching or from a mentor sort of side, it was just about giving him the backing. Although he sort of lost his place in the team, for him it is always to make sure he gets the quality work in because you never know in a tournament that situation like we found ourselves can always be there. So credit to him for not losing that hope, keep on working hard, keep on grooving on his strengths and then taking the opportunity. I think in professional sports it’s all about staying ready so you don’t have to get yourself ready, I can say that. And yeah, credit to him for keeping him calm and fighting through that tough little period and putting in a solid performance for India.
(Reporter:)
Coach, what is your assessment in terms of confidence with Abhishek Sharma? He’s trying to kind of alter his approach in the middle. Earlier he would go very aggressive at the start. Now he’s trying to kind of hold back a little and then look to attack. And at the same time he’s kind of dropped catches as well. So is it really a case of some sort of loss in confidence?
(Morne Morkel:)
No, I think just sometimes this game can be hard on you, cruel on you. Similar situation that Sanju found himself in, that in your career you’re going to find moments like this. This is good growth for him, it’s good learning for him. For a young guy finding his feet in international cricket, this will only help him down the line and for Indian cricket. But coming back to his form, Abhishek, his way of playing is one or two shots that can find him that rhythm, that can give him that confidence back. And that for me is a pleasing sign. He’s not a guy that worries too much about technique. Normally those sort of players take a lot more time to get into confidence. So like I said, it’s a fresh page for him tomorrow, opportunity to go and do well. Scored 100-here against England not so long ago. So for him, it’s just tapping into those little videos and looking at his feel-good moments and building a blueprint and knowing he’s starting on zero tomorrow. It’s a new opportunity for him and for him to make a play.
(Reporter:)
Coach, you had an extensive session with… I mean, last year you worked a lot with Shivam Dubey and yesterday also you worked with Hardik quite a lot. But both of them sort of seem to have lost their bowling form. Is that a concern? Shivam Dube went for 0-46 against Zimbabwe in two overs.
(Morne Morkel:)
Yeah, look, I don’t think it’s a loss of bowling form. I think Shivam is also a guy that knows the game pretty well. At the time our execution wasn’t as great. Maybe the thinking behind bowling the ball. But in terms of form and bowling, Shivam is a guy that’s always going to give us potentially an 0-2. And then for him, the most important thing is just to make smart decisions with the ball. So I think that’s one area we would like to improve with him sometimes, is just his ball execution. Because let’s be honest, teams are going to go after him. He’s going to be the guy that’s going to be put under pressure, which gives us opportunities to take wickets. So if we can get that thinking process with ball in hand a little bit better, a little bit smarter, that will be a good one.
(Reporter:)
You’ve obviously worked closely with Varun now. What sort of bowling mindset does he come with when there are games and he goes for some expensive overs which can happen in this format? What does he go back to? Does he try to add layers to his bowling? Does he rely on planning in terms of match-ups for the next game? How does it work?
(Morne Morkel:)
It’s a tricky question to answer here now. I mean, obviously, I can’t reveal his process, but I keep on telling him that in our bowling lineup, with the skill and variation Varun’s got, he’s got the ability to take a wicket almost every ball. So if the boundary or if he goes for a boundary or the ball, he’s not executed as well as possible. For him it’s just to move on to the next one and make sure he commits to that next ball. I think he’s a highly skilful guy, hard to pick once you walk into the crease. So for him it’s just about getting that confidence with the ball, getting his speed, his length, control right and not trying to overthink it. I think with Varun at times, To his credit, he wants to be a big performer for the team, so he’ll put a little bit of pressure on himself. But, yeah, he’s a match winner for us, and for him it’s just to stay and bowl every ball and make sure it’s his best ball.
(Reporter:)
You spoke about 15 runs conceded in the field. India’s top 13 catches in this tournament. It’s a problem that’s been accompanying us for a long time in England, in the Test Series, at the Asia Cup as well. How much does it pull a side down when you put down as many catches as you do?
(Morne Morkel:)
Obviously, I mean, nobody looks to drop a catch on purpose. It’s not like we don’t train it. There’s a lot of focus going into our fielding. That was one of the key points heading into the World Cup. The guys do train and work hard on our fielding. At times, is it a mindset thing? I can’t answer that. But yeah, like I said for us, it’s just to keep on doing the hard work, really focusing on specific, getting certain players into the hot spots and the right areas and at times it’s hard to do that because you’re also working against overrate. So that’s the responsibility that the players need to take on the field is to find yourself in a position, in the hot zones and to work a little bit extra. And if we can get the right players in those positions, hopefully we can take the catches.
(Reporter:)
You are dealing with extremely talented Gen Z crowd who often prioritise entertainment over performance. How easy or difficult is it to make them understand that performance is first and entertainment follows. I’m asking this question cause I saw that video by Hardik Pandya –
(Morne Morkel:)
I think that has been the identity of this team, we are a young exciting group that wants to entertaining cricket. Fans pay money to come and watch these guys do their thing. What a way, what a mindset to have to go into a game where you think it’s a high-pressure game, but if you can simplify it and say, listen, if we play our attacking, entertaining brand, the rest will fall into place. So I thought it was a great message from Hardik. That’s when they’re at their best, is when there is not a lot thinking about the moment, but just going out and being entertainers. I think that is one way to free yourself up as a player and to take the game on. We said earlier that both teams are going to look to do that. So I think it’s good for the fans, it’s good for all of us if they play that attacking, aggressive, entertaining game.
