India have a bulletproof workload management plan for their packed New Zealand tour, bowling coach Morne Morkel said. The team will rotate bowlers across five T20Is, five ODIs, and two Tests. "Every bowler is clear in terms of what's expected of them," Morkel said. Arshdeep Singh is also in contention.
India have a 'bulletproof' workload management plan for their packed New Zealand tour, bowling coach Morne Morkel said. Arshdeep Singh is among the options being considered as India prepare to rotate their bowlers across formats.
India have a "bulletproof" plan to manage their bowlers through a packed tour of New Zealand, bowling coach Morne Morkel said, with Arshdeep Singh also in contention for a potential Test debut.
India are scheduled to play five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests on the tour. With the first Test starting on November 19, just four days after the ODI series ends, the team plans to rotate its bowlers to keep them fresh for the red-ball leg.
Morkel said the strategy had been mapped out well in advance, with players clear about their expected workloads and the role they would play across formats.
"We've mapped out this tour once before. Every bowler is clear in terms of what's expected of them in terms of workloads, in terms of bowling," Morkel said on the eve of the third T20I.
India will also draw on players preparing for red-ball cricket with the India A side, while the ODI series will offer others valuable match practice ahead of the Tests.
"There are a couple of guys on the A side getting ready for red-ball cricket. In the 50-over series, we will also rotate and give guys the game time they need to get ready for the Test matches," Morkel said.
The tight turnaround leaves little room for recovery, but Morkel believes India have enough backup options to deal with changes along the way. He acknowledged, however, that even the best-laid plans can be disrupted during a tour.
"Touch wood, it's a bulletproof plan at the moment in terms of how we've mapped everything out, but unfortunately, not everything goes according to plan," he said.
"The backup we've got, the combinations are all in place in terms of rotation and making sure we get ready for the red-ball Tests and the 50-over series. Everybody's ready, including Bumrah," Morkel added.
ARSHDEEP IN CONTENTION
Arshdeep could be among the options India turn to for additional pace cover during the Test series. The left-arm pacer has yet to make his Test debut, but his ability to swing the ball both ways has kept him in the conversation.
India are considering retaining a group of bowlers in New Zealand as cover, with the final make-up of the attack to be decided once the team has a clearer understanding of the conditions.
"We are planning a group of bowlers that we would like to potentially stay behind as cover because of the schedule. Closer to the time, once we get a better understanding of the conditions at this time of the year, we'll get a clear picture regarding the make-up of our bowling unit," Morkel said.
The bowling coach backed Arshdeep's ability to adapt to the longer format, pointing to his work ethic and skill set.
"On paper and in the back of our minds, there is a nice group of bowlers that can suit all conditions, and Arshdeep is definitely in that conversation. He's a guy that always works hard and ticks all the boxes, so if needed with the red ball, I'm pretty sure he'll be fine," Morkel said.
India will finalise their Test bowling combination closer to the series, once conditions become clearer. For Arshdeep, the tour could offer an opportunity to move beyond his established role in white-ball cricket and enter the red-ball reckoning.