<article class="text-token-text-primary w-full" dir="auto" data-testid="conversation-turn-44" data-scroll-anchor="true">
<div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto py-5 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @[37rem]:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @[72rem]:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)">
<div class="[--thread-content-max-width:32rem] @[34rem]:[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @[64rem]:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto flex max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 text-base gap-4 md:gap-5 lg:gap-6 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden" tabindex="-1">
<div class="group/conversation-turn relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn">
<div class="relative flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3">
<div class="flex max-w-full flex-col grow">
<div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-5" dir="auto" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="b5a81c1f-99bf-4400-8a4e-f16e17c0ec6a" data-message-model-slug="gpt-4o">
<div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]">
<div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words dark">
<p data-start="221" data-end="443"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">India&rsquo;s bowling coach Morne Morkel heaped praise on fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep after their stellar performance put India within striking distance of levelling the five-match Test series 1-1 against England.</span></p>
<p data-start="445" data-end="606"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">At stumps on Day 4 at Edgbaston, England stood at 72 for 3, needing an improbable 536 runs with seven wickets remaining after being set a daunting target of 608.</span></p>
<p data-start="608" data-end="989"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Morkel singled out Siraj for his relentless commitment and work ethic, especially while leading the pace attack. &ldquo;Siraj is a guy I have a lot of respect for. He always pushes his body to the limit. Sometimes, he tries too hard &mdash; which can affect consistency &mdash; but his effort and intensity are unmatched. Even when he&rsquo;s sore, he wants the ball and steps up every time,&rdquo; Morkel said.</span></p>
<p data-start="991" data-end="1352"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Siraj&rsquo;s five-wicket haul on one of England&rsquo;s flattest pitches in recent memory was described by Morkel as a well-earned reward. &ldquo;We had a good, honest discussion after the last Test about areas to improve, and we&rsquo;ve responded well. That&rsquo;s a great sign of growth from a young bowling unit, especially while missing one of our most experienced players,&rdquo; he added.</span></p>
<p data-start="1354" data-end="1681"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Akash Deep, Morkel was equally enthusiastic, praising his attacking mindset. &ldquo;He bowls at the stumps a lot, which is crucial in English conditions. Dismissing a top-quality player like Joe Root with that dream delivery shows his potential. He's gaining confidence, and the more he gets, the better his energy and execution.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p data-start="1683" data-end="1876"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Morkel acknowledged the challenge of bowling on a flat pitch, noting that precision becomes critical. &ldquo;On a surface like this, your skills are truly tested. The margin for error is very small.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p data-start="1878" data-end="2184"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Discussing the team&rsquo;s field placements and tactical approach, he said, &ldquo;On slow surfaces, it&rsquo;s important to mix it up. You need a field that allows for short balls and edges &mdash; being too predictable helps the batters. Both batters out there are naturally aggressive, so taking calculated risks can pay off.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p data-start="2186" data-end="2422"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Looking ahead to the final day, Morkel outlined a simple plan: consistent discipline. &ldquo;Tomorrow is all about sticking to a good length. As the ball softens, scoring becomes difficult &mdash; we just have to keep asking those tough questions.&rdquo;</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</article>
<div class="pointer-events-none h-px w-px" aria-hidden="true" data-edge="true">
<article class="text-token-text-primary w-full" dir="auto" data-testid="conversation-turn-44" data-scroll-anchor="true">
<div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto py-5 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @[37rem]:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @[72rem]:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)">
<div class="[--thread-content-max-width:32rem] @[34rem]:[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @[64rem]:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto flex max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 text-base gap-4 md:gap-5 lg:gap-6 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden" tabindex="-1">
<div class="group/conversation-turn relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn">
<div class="relative flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3">
<div class="flex max-w-full flex-col grow">
<div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-5" dir="auto" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="b5a81c1f-99bf-4400-8a4e-f16e17c0ec6a" data-message-model-slug="gpt-4o">
<div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]">
<div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words dark">
<p data-start="2424" data-end="2586" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">With India firmly in control, the bowling unit, under Morkel&rsquo;s guidance, will aim to wrap up England&rsquo;s innings and draw the series level with two matches to play.</span><br><br><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed]</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="flex min-h-[46px] justify-start">&nbsp;</div>
<div class="mt-3 w-full empty:hidden">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<div class="aria-live=polite absolute">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</article>
</div>

India’s pacers shine in Edgbaston Test as coach Morkel praises Siraj’s grit and Akash’s precision

Morkel Hails Siraj, Akash as India Near Victory

India’s pacers shine in Edgbaston Test as coach Morkel praises Siraj’s grit and Akash’s precision

July 6, 2025 | 15:48 IST