‘Didn't Even Go To My Wife..’: Morne Morkel Reveals The First Person He Called After India Bowling Coach Appointment— Watch

Morne Morkel, the former South Africa pacer, is the new Team India bowling coach and he talks about the emotional moments that ensued following the call for the Indian bowling coach appointment.

Morne Morkel, the former South Africa fast bowler, had officially assumed the role of the Indian team men’s bowling coach on September 1, joining head coach Gautam Gambhir’s support staff. Morkel’s role as the bowling coach was confirmed last month, however the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took to social media to formally announce his appointment in a video. In the video, Morkel shares the excitement for the opportunity and also reveals the emotions he felt upon getting the phone call regarding the job call-up for the Indian team support staff.

Morkel talked about an emotional moment with his father after securing the bowling coach role with India's cricket team.

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Morkel Reflects On First Call To His Father After India Appointment

He revealed that unlike most people, who go to their spouse to share a special news, his first call after hearing the news of his appointment was to his father, to share the special moment. 

"When I ended the call, I sat for about five minutes in the room reflecting on it and the I first phoned my dad. He spoke to me, I didn't even go to my wife. You know, normally they say go to your wife first, but I spoke to my dad and I mean, being a cricket fan for years and knowing what was going to come up, this is quite a special moment for me. So yeah, I enjoyed it for about 5 to 7 minutes to myself and then obviously shared with the family that this is an opportunity and potentially that might happen. I'm just so delighted that we eventually got things over the line, and I'm here," Morkel said.

Watch the video here:

Morkel emphasised the importance of building strong connections with the players, noting that he's previously played against many of them and had brief interactions during the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

"It is just important to, to connect well, with the guys. I've played a lot against some of the players. I've seen and connected a little bit to some of the guys playing in the IPL and to now be in a camp, and to form friendship and to form relationships for me is very important," Morkel added.

Notably, Morkel and Gambhir, were also teammates at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for three IPL seasons. The duo have also worked together in the past as part of the coaching setup for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL.