Morkel Downplays Fitness Concerns Ahead of Asia Cup Final, Praises India’s Bench Strength
India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has downplayed injury concerns surrounding Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma ahead of the high-stakes Asia Cup final against Pakistan, set to take place in Dubai this Sunday. Both players were seen struggling physically and did not take the field during the latter half of India’s dramatic Super Over win against Sri Lanka on Friday.
Hardik Pandya walked off after just one over — in which he dismissed Kusal Mendis for a first-ball duck — clutching his left hamstring. He did not return to the field, prompting immediate concerns over his availability for the final.
“Hardik had cramps, he will be assessed tonight and tomorrow morning. We’ll then take a call on that,” Morkel said in the post-match press conference, echoing remarks made earlier by captain Suryakumar Yadav.
Abhishek Sharma also failed to complete the match. He showed signs of discomfort in the ninth over of Sri Lanka’s innings, appearing to clutch his right thigh while running. He eventually left the field during the 10th over and did not return. The Indian support staff treated both players with ice and pickle juice, a common remedy for cramps.
Substitute fielders Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Jitesh Sharma filled in at various stages, while Tilak Varma also briefly left the field due to fatigue before returning after a hydration break.
Given the match stretched into a Super Over and finished much later than scheduled, India now face a quick turnaround ahead of Sunday’s final. Morkel emphasized that recovery will take priority over training.
“The key for the boys is to rest. They’re already in ice baths, and recovery started straight after the match,” Morkel explained. “The best way to recover is sleep and staying off your feet. There will be individual pool sessions, massages — no training, just smart recovery.”
Arshdeep, Harshit Praised as X-Factors
Morkel also had words of praise for India’s young pace duo Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, who returned expensive figures (2 for 100 in eight overs combined) but held their nerve in the end, with Arshdeep sealing the win in the Super Over.
“In our environment, we want to move away from an excuse culture,” Morkel said. “Yes, sometimes lack of game time is a factor — you can bowl as much as you want in the nets, but nothing beats match pressure.”
Despite their struggles, Morkel backed both bowlers as “X-factor players” and potential match-winners.
“The quality of work we put in, we expect the guys to deliver. At the moment, things aren’t happening for them, but the team is winning, and that’s important.”
As India prepares to face arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup final, all eyes will be on the fitness of key players and how India’s bench strength continues to step up under pressure.