How did Gautam Gambhir influence Morne Morkel’s appointment as India’s bowling coach?

Morne Morkel, the legendary South African fast bowler, has been named India's new bowling coach, bringing a wave of excitement to Indian cricket. 

The selection process for this role was competitive, with notable candidates like R Vinay Kumar and Lakshmipathy Balaji in contention. However, Gambhir, who has previously collaborated with Morkel in the IPL, was confident in Morkel’s abilities and recommended him for the position.

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah confirmed Morkel’s appointment, stating that he would serve as India’s bowling coach until 2027. Morkel is set to report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru next month, where he will meet with VVS Laxman, the head of the NCA, and Troy Cooley, the head of bowling at the NCA.

A BCCI source revealed that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) was tasked with interviewing candidates for the head coach position. However, the final decision on the support staff was left to the head coach, allowing Gambhir’s preference for Morkel to take precedence.

"The Cricket Advisory Committee's (CAC) mandate was to interview the candidates for the head coach. When it came to the choice of support staff, it was imperative that (Gautam) Gambhir's choice prevailed. He has worked with Morne (Morkel) and thinks of him highly as a bowling coach," a BCCI source was quoted as saying to PTI.

Morkel's vast experience and successful track record in overseas conditions, particularly in Australia, make him an excellent choice for India’s upcoming series Down Under and the potential five-Test tour of England next year.

"Also with the big series against Australia coming up Down Under from last week of November, there isn't a better choice than the South African, who has himself enjoyed fair bit of success over there. Also there will be the five-Test tour of England next year with a potential sixth match if India reach WTC final," the source added.

Morkel's impressive career includes 86 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 44 T20Is for South Africa, with a total of 544 international wickets. After retiring, he gained Australian citizenship and played in the Big Bash League as a local player. He has also served as a bowling coach for Pakistan's national team and the IPL team Lucknow Super Giants, where Gambhir was a mentor.