September 14, 2024

Legend Shocked by Exclusion as Morkel Seeks to Boost India’s Bowling

Jonty Rhodes is often seen as one of the greatest fielders in cricket history. He is renowned for his exceptional skills and athleticism on the field. His remarkable performances have set a standard in the game, earning him admiration from fans and players alike. Rhodes has also contributed to cricket off the field, taking on coaching roles, including his recent involvement in the IPL. His legacy still motivates new generations of cricketers, highlighting the importance of fielding in the sport.

South African Legend Stunned by Being Left Out of India Coaching Job

Since Gautam Gambhir became the top choice to replace Rahul Dravid as India’s head coach, there’s been strong interest in his coaching team. Gambhir’s appointment was announced in July, leading to discussions about high-profile figures who might join him in the support staff.

Jonty Rhodes is often seen as one of the best fielders in cricket history, has worked as a fielding coach for several IPL teams. Gambhir has teamed up with him at Lucknow Super Giants, so the former India captain would want to bring Rhodes on board as part of his coaching staff.

Reports indicate that Gambhir aimed to bring in Abhishek Nayar as batting coach, Morne Morkel as bowling coach, and Rhodes as fielding coach. However, aside from Rhodes, the team management chose to keep Dillip in his position, accepting Gambhir’s other suggestions.

The snub took Rhodes aback. In a lighthearted interview, he joked about why he isn’t seen as a “local,” given that he practically lives in India.

“Yeah, can you believe it?” Rhodes remarked on Aleena Dissects when asked about his thoughts on BCCI’s decision not to approve Gambhir’s request. “I mean, they didn’t want an international coach, and I’m so local! They want a local fielding coach. Mera naam Jonty Rhodes (My name is Jonty Rhodes), come on!”

“Maybe because I am based in Goa. Maybe I need to be in a Metro or something,” he quipped.

Rhodes also talked about the rumors suggesting he was in the running for the head coach position. “I heard that too. I received congratulations all day long. It was even mentioned on official sports websites and social media,” he shared.

However, Rhodes holds R. Sridhar (the previous India fielding coach) and Dillip in high esteem and praises them for improving fitness standards.

“I’ve taken my hat off to the last two fielding coaches in the Indian set-up,” he said.

“I think it comes from the captaincy. MS Dhoni certainly showed players. He had a lot of senior guys at the end of their era, and he just showed through his physical ability how important (fitness is). Between the wickets, he is amazing. He’s 40! and still runs like that between the wickets, it’s incredible. So, he certainly showed just through his example the importance of fitness, speed, and strength.”

“Then, when Virat Kohli took over the captaincy, it was part of the selection criteria if you don’t pass the fitness standards, sorry! No matter how good you are, what results you are producing. Everybody was treated equally. To be a good fielding team, you need to be a fit and mobile and energetic side,” he added.

Morkel’s aim as India’s bowling coach – ‘To protect the set-up that operates by itself’

As India’s new bowling coach, Morne Morkel’s primary objective is to preserve the efficient set-up and ensure that the players “feel at home” despite the pressure of expectations.

Morkel, who took over from Paras Mhambrey last month, joined the Chennai team as they prepare for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh.

“Coming here, this is a set-up that operates by itself,” Morkel said on bcci.tv. “To protect that and make it better in small ways is going to be the goal.

“When I was sitting in the plane, I reflected that we are so lucky to have quality senior players, and they will lead the charge. Our responsibility is to support them and give them the best sort of advice that we can provide.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir recommended Morkel, with whom he collaborated at Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2022 and 2023. Morkel emphasized the importance of connecting with the players and creating a sense of security to help them perform their best.

“I have played a lot against some of the players; I have seen and connected a little bit with some of the guys during the IPL,” he said. “To be now in the camp and form friendships and relationships is very important.

“Today’s goal was to get an understanding of the guys, their strengths and weaknesses, and help them with planting those seeds for goals for the upcoming series. That’s the sort of conversation we had today. And the guys did really well. I was blown away by how they went about things, how professional they were. So that’s a good sign and, hopefully, we can build on that.

“It’s one thing to have talent and skill, but how can you make those guys feel welcome in an intimidating environment… India playing in the blue shirt is a lot of expectations, so for me, having the experience, going through that, and passing that sort of knowledge and helping them settle in and feel at home [is important].”

“As soon as a player has that comfort and feel that they belong, that’s when the performance comes. So it’s about looking after that and … from there obviously, upskill them and get them up to the standard.

Morkel mentioned he was the first to share the news with his dad regarding his appointment.

“It [the appointment] was quite a special moment for me. I enjoyed it for about five to seven minutes with myself and then obviously shared it with the family. The first thing I did was to phone my dad first. I spoke to him about it. I didn’t go to my wife. Normally, they say go to your wife first. But I spoke to my dad.”

“I feel ready to take up this challenge. I understand and know that there will always be expectations of winning. Luckily, I have experienced that in my playing days, and I can share that knowledge.”

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