Bengaluru, Oct 16 India’s fast bowling coach Morne Morkel on Friday lauded the bowlers for delivering for the team more often than not while rising above the “mental fatigue” caused by a tight schedule.
Indian cricketers went through a busy schedule in the past couple of months, playing in a slew of bilateral series and in the Asian Games in Japan.
“I read everything that’s written on social media. One thing that we sometimes forget is that mental fatigue plays a big part. We have to manage that and you have to be smart with it. If you look at this T20 side, some of the players went for the Asian Games, and then went straight into a full series now (vs the West Indies),” Morkel said on the eve of the fifth T20I here.
“Then they had to fly off to Delhi for a presentation there (meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and back here in the morning. And, now, we have to get them ready for a game. So, that is the reality and these guys are also human,” he added.
Morkel emphasised that an adequate cooling period between the games is imperative to squeeze the best out of players.
“And for me, your execution and your skills will be better when you’ve recovered well, when you’ve slept well, and once you’ve mentally refreshed and that is a challenge. We’re going to fly now to New Zealand. It’s a jam-packed schedule there as well.”
In that context, the former South African quick urged everyone to keep a reasonable voice while criticising the bowlers’ performance.
“And that is sometimes a tricky thing. So, I’ve got a lot of respect for these guys, with the performances that they are at the moment producing for Team India, with the schedule we have.
“You know, and that’s why I sometimes think we can allow them to make a mistake and allow them to have an off game and not be on them, because of the mental load and expectation on these players,” he added.
(PTI News)
