India's bowling coach Morne Morkel recently broke his silence on the importance of all-rounders and stressed their ability to contribute with both bat and ball as the team prepares for the Asia Cup 2025. With India set to face the UAE in their tournament opener on September 10 in Dubai, Morkel believes that the balance all-rounders bring to the team could be important in big matches.
The Men in Blue enter the Asia Cup as one of the strong contenders, having last played a multi-nation event in Dubai during the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year. This time, conditions are expected to be different, with fresher, greener pitches likely to influence team combinations. While spin played a major role during the Champions Trophy, Morkel mentioned that India may opt for a more balanced approach in this tournament. The contribution of all-rounders like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Axar Patel is set to be even more significant.
The former South African pacer also mentioned the value of developing part-time bowlers within the squad. According to him, the ability of batters to chip in with the ball gives the team more flexibility in terms of combinations.