4 min readJul 3, 2026 08:36 PM IST
First published on: Jul 3, 2026 at 07:04 PM IST
India bowling coach Morne Morkel has reacted to the growing calls for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s international debut, saying the team management wanted to back the existing group before handing the 15-year-old his first cap.
The former South Africa pacer said there was no intention to bat players out of position and that accommodating Sooryavanshi in the playing XI was not a straightforward decision.
“I don’t think there are a lot of factors. We also need to respect the fact that we’ve got the No. 1 batter in T20 cricket, Abhishek Sharma. Sanju was the player of the World Cup and had a great IPL.
“As a coaching staff, it’s only fair to show faith and back your players. Yes, there’s a young man knocking on the door, and it’s exciting, but I reckon not just for those two players at the top, but for the rest of the group, it’s a good sign that we show we back you guys.
“At the end of the day, it’s about putting performances on the board. We also don’t want to bat players out of position.
“It’s not as straightforward as saying, ‘Let’s play him.’ It’s a matter of backing the guys who’ve won World Cups and done really well in tough situations, then building from there and seeing how we can make our top order as strong as possible in these conditions,” Morkel said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the second T20I on Friday.
Morkel added that Sooryavanshi had settled in well with the Indian squad and impressed in training.
“He’s fitted in very, very well. If you follow the boys on Instagram, there have already been a lot of photos posted with him. The way the guys have welcomed him has been fantastic. At the international stage as a 15-year-old, it can be intimidating. But in the couple of net sessions we’ve had, he’s been very impressive.
“We’re all excited to see how he goes, and when he gets an opportunity, I’m pretty sure he’ll be ready. In terms of coming into the squad and fitting in, it’s been very smooth,” he added.
Morkel also spoke about the experience of working with Prince Yadav, admitting that he was impressed with the way he had come along ever since he first saw him as a net bowler with Lucknow Super Giants.
“I was quite lucky to work with Prince while I was with Lucknow Super Giants. At the time he was a net bowler, and even then, he was marked as somebody who was highly skilled. It’s been great to see his journey, and now playing for India, I’m blown away by how calm he keeps things. He’s always looking for ways to improve his game and make himself better.
“At the end of the day, it’s about execution. If we talk about death bowling and the middle phases of the game, the way he reads the play, the decisions he makes under pressure and then executing them, for me, it’s great to see,” he said.
Morkel also said that India’s belief in having all-rounders in the side was based on having more options with the ball, admitting that such players lent more balance to the team.
“I’m always a big fan of having an all-round option in your side because it gives you balance with bat and ball. If they can give you one or two overs, you can rotate your bowling unit around that. It’s always good to have those options,” he said.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in action. (FILE photo) 
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