Haven’t yet played complete game, need to bat better under pressure: Morkel

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Dubai, Sep 27 (PTI) India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel believes that the team hasn’t yet played that “complete game” and though he doesn’t mind winning an “ugly” one, he does expect the batting unit to lift its performance under pressure in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan here on Sunday.

While Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy have stopped most batting units, including Pakistan, in its tracks, the batting show, barring Abhishek Sharma’s pyrotechnics, hasn’t exactly been inspiring in pressure cooker scenarios.

“I don’t think in this tournament so far, we’ve played the complete game. After every game there has to be discussions of areas we would like to improve and get better on. So, it’s just a general thinking that when put a little bit under pressure, we need to get sharper,” Morkel assessed ahead of the high-intensity final on Sunday.

Morkel then listed out the areas in batting which warrant improvement.

“If we start with the batting, can we on tough conditions rotate strike a little bit better? Can we protect partnerships a little bit? Because for a new batter walking in here is quite tough to start, but still have that aggressive mindset,” he said.

He then spoke about areas of execution in bowling when put under the pump.

“From a bowling point of view, let’s talk specifically about the first six or the first 10 overs. How we can improve with our lengths, with our accuracy, with our thinking, with ball in hand.

“In those middle phases, just sort of our over-sequence in terms of maybe bringing in an odd yorker. I think the trend has been, because the wicket is slightly on the slower side, to go off-pace but batters are lining that up,” he analysed.

He said that the team has enough skills to withstand any pressure associated with the final.

“I mean, the boys have got all the skills. They have played in a lot…but I just think for this group, when put under a little bit of pressure, we just need to have more clarity in thinking.

“At the end of the day, we can have all the plans, but we still need to execute better,” Morkel said in an obvious reference to India’s shoddy bowling show against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Morkel believes that Suryakumar Yadav’s team is currently on an improvement curve and in that journey, he wouldn’t mind recording a few scratchy wins.

“We (as team) by no means are a finished article and we know that. But luckily we have won, and we have won sometimes in ugly fashion, but we will take that.

“And as a group, always take the learning and look to improve and take it on Sunday,” the coach added. PTI KHS PM KHS PM PM