India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has shed light on the reasoning behind Kuldeep Yadav’s continued exclusion from the playing XI during the ongoing Test series against England. Speaking after a bruising third day in the fourth Test at Manchester, Morkel clarified that the decision isn’t a reflection of Kuldeep’s form or potential, but rather a matter of maintaining the right balance in the Indian lineup—particularly the batting depth.

India finds itself in a difficult spot as the Manchester Test edges further out of reach. England’s Ben Stokes (77*) and Liam Dawson (21*) stood firm at the close of Day 3, after the hosts piled on the pressure with a dominant batting display. Even India’s premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, found little success, as the English batters dictated terms with ease.

Addressing the media, Morne Morkel explained the tactical conundrum: “It’s about how to bring Kuldeep in without compromising the batting. He’s a world-class bowler, and he’s been in great rhythm, but we’ve seen collapses where we’ve lost wickets in clumps. So for him to come in, we must be sure the batting line-up stays long and strong.”

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Morkel also pointed to the challenging workload the Indian pacers have had to shoulder in this five-Test series, especially coming on the heels of a taxing IPL season. With minimal turnaround time between the IPL final (June 3) and the first Test (June 20), players have struggled to adapt physically to the demands of red-ball cricket.

Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, and Anshul Kamboj, notably, were not part of the IPL final, but even they haven’t been able to escape the strain of back-to-back matches.

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“It’s tough. We’re more used to three-Test series. A five-Test tour needs very different physical preparation, and when it comes right after the IPL, conditioning becomes a real concern,” Morne Morkel said, highlighting the challenges of sustaining pace and intensity through a long tour.

With India trailing and questions being raised about selection and workload management, the team faces a critical phase in the final Test.