Mohammad Shami helped in understanding Indian team's philosophy: Morne Morkel

Indian cricket team's bowling coach Morne Morkel has praised fast bowler Mohammad Shami. Morkel stated that when he joined the Indian dressing room, Shami's presence greatly helped him understand the team's philosophy and the 'Indian language'. Morkel said this while reacting to Shami's decision to retire from Test cricket.

According to a Sportstar report, Morne Morkel joined the Indian team as bowling coach in 2024 as part of head coach Gautam Gambhir's coaching set-up. Morkel clarified that he had not worked with Shami in the Test format, but had a brief opportunity to work with him during the ICC Champions Trophy in early 2025. This tournament marked Shami's final appearance in the Indian jersey.

During a pre-match interview with host broadcaster 'Sony Sports', Morkel said, "Yes, when I first started with the group, I was very lucky that Shami was part of the team. He is an extremely skilled player and his presence in the group was very good. I was lucky to have the Indian language brought into the dressing room when I joined. He helped me a lot. So, seeing him go is a sad day."

Morkel further added that Shami is still bowling many overs in his homeland and it is a pleasure to watch. Morkel is happy that Shami continues to play domestic cricket with full intensity. Although Shami has now retired from Test cricket, he will continue to play white-ball cricket for Bengal and in the IPL for a longer period. He will remain available for selection in white-ball formats.

Morne Morkel is a former South African fast bowler who is now serving as the bowling coach for the Indian team.

Mohammad Shami took a total of 462 international wickets across all formats, including 229 wickets in Tests and 206 wickets in ODIs.