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Morne Morkel said the Indian bowlers failed to get the right lines and lengths in the evening but were better come morning.
Mohammed Siraj took four wickets in the first innings of the second Test (AP)
Australia are in the driver’s seat after day two of the second Test of the five-match series between India and Australia for the Boarder-Gavaskar Trophy at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
Travis Head’s blistering 140 helped the hosts to post 337 and then the Aussie pacers reduced India to 128/5 to stay on course for a series-levelling victory in the day-night pink-ball Test.
Rishabh Pant is at the crease on 28 with Nitish Kumar Reddy on 15 at the other side and are 29 runs behind.
India Vs Australia: 2nd Test, Day 2 – Highlights
India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel said that Indian bowlers failed to capitalise in the evening of day one and that has led to the batters suffering.
“In the first Test match, our lines and lengths were exceptional, and I think that was the blueprint going for us, into this Test series. We wanted to bring stumps into play as much as we can, and I felt that last night with the ball moving around a bit. We missed that, we were slightly off the mark in finding the right length,” Morkel was quoted as saying to reporters at the end of the day’s play on Saturday.
“At times, we [India in the first innings] were a touch wide, so we allowed the guys to leave a lot of balls. If you look at the history of pink ball Tests, that time of night if you bowl [in those areas], then you can pick up wickets,” he added.
Morkel though said his bowlers learned quickly and were far better on the second day.
“This morning, we got more balls in the right area, more consistently. We bowled better in partnerships.”
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj starred with four wickets apiece, while Harshit Rana went for 86 without any wicket to his name.
Morkel expressed his sympathies with the youngster: “Harshit Rana is playing his second Test match, it will be a big learning curve for him, playing his first time in Australia. He is a guy who will learn from today and we can just look to get better.”
“Test cricket is a tough place. There is no place to hide. He has only played his second Test match, he is going to learn from these conversations. I think the biggest job for me is to put my arms around him today. Playing in front of 50,000 people, that is intimidating.”
“I want him to feel as a guy with a lot of potential, that we still back him as a team, we definitely do that. [I want to] just keep on having conversations with him, to keep learning. Ask good questions [to him].”
“Days like today [are] helpful. Even though they are painful, they are helpful in the longer way.”
