IND vs AUS: Watch Gill jokes about Morkel's 'youthful' bowling in nets

Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel was seen putting in a solid effort, bowling against Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant for an extended period during Friday's practice session

As the five-match Test series between India and Australia stands tied at 1-1 after the first two Tests, preparations for the third Test in Brisbane are intensifying. The match is set to begin on Saturday, December 14, at 5:50 AM IST. On Friday, the Indian team had an optional practice session. While skipper Rohit Sharma was absent from the ground, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, the heroes of India's historic 2021 Gabba win, were seen sweating it out in the nets. One particular moment stood out when India's bowling coach, Morne Morkel, bowled against the duo for an extended period. 

 

 

Gill on Morkel’s fun nets session

 

Shubman Gill, who attended the pre-match press conference, shared some light-hearted moments from the nets. He revealed that Morkel enjoys bowling on bowler-friendly pitches and mentioned that both he and Pant had asked Morkel to show them how he would have bowled in his playing days. Gill recalled, “He keeps teasing us that I will bowl like this in my youth, so when we play, we say that the wicket is good to bowl the ball, so show us how you used to bowl.” 

Shubman Gill on Him Pant and Jaiswal making Morne Morkel bowl ???? pic.twitter.com/vLLT9mBZIt

— Ahmed Says (@AhmedGT_) December 13, 2024

 

Looking for that one big innings: Gill

 

Discussing his batting performance, Gill admitted that while he had felt good at the crease, he couldn't convert those starts into big scores. He explained, “Yes, I feel the same that while I was batting, I was also feeling very good. I think like I said in the first inning, the things that happened at the other end, because of that I went into my shell and I missed the straight ball.” He further reflected on his second-inning struggle, saying, “In the second inning, everyone was having some difficulty in seeing the ball, in seeing the seam position of the ball. Generally, as a batsman, you are in a better position when you see the hand of the ball, you see its seam, according to that you predict where the ball can go. If you can’t see where the ball can go, you are not ready.” Despite his dismissal, Gill added, “But whatever time I was at the crease, I was having a lot of fun while batting.”

 

Looking forward, Gill emphasised that the team hopes for one big inning that could turn the tide in the series.