12.38 Economy, But No Panic! Morkel Backs Bhuvneshwar to Bounce Back
Two matches. 99 runs leaked. One solitary wicket. An economy rate of 12.37 is enough to set social media on fire, especially with India trailing 0-2 in a five-match series. Most critics are already questioning if the veteran pacer still has the legs for international cricket. Inside the Indian camp, though, bowling coach Morne Morkel is looking at the person, not just the bowling figures.
XtraTime Webdesk: Four years is an eternity in T20 cricket. When 36-year-old Bhuvneshwar Kumar pulled the Indian jersey back on against New Zealand, fans wanted the old magic right away. Instead, they got a harsh reality check.
Two matches. 99 runs leaked. One solitary wicket. An economy rate of 12.37 is enough to set social media on fire. Most critics are already questioning if the veteran pacer still has the legs for international cricket. Inside the Indian camp, though, bowling coach Morne Morkel is looking at the person, not just the bowling figures.
Bhuvneshwar didn't get this recall out of sentiment. He forced selectors to look his way after bagging 45 wickets over two IPL seasons to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru win back-to-back titles. The skill clearly hasn't vanished. The problem, as Morkel pointed out before the third T20I, is what happens in a bowler's head when he steps back into the international cauldron after a four-year gap with barely a month of prep time.
When you try too hard to justify your recall, you end up bowling tight, anxious spells. Morkel knows this better than anyone. Rather than dragging Bhuvneshwar to the nets to tinker with his wrist position, the South African coach kept his advice simple: "Don't chase anything, just be you."
It is a rare bit of patience in modern cricket. Bhuvneshwar doesn't need to reinvent himself to survive this series; he just needs to stop trying to bowl the perfect comeback ball every single delivery.