India bowling coach Morne Morkel has rushed out of Dubai due to a family emergency. Morkel left for South Africa on Monday, February 17, after he received the news of his father Alberts’ demise. The development comes just days before India’s first match against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy 2025.
India is stationed in Dubai, where they will play all their matches of the tournament. Sources have told India Today that the former South African bowler flew back home to attend to the emergency. Morkel was expected to play a vital part in guiding India’s bowling attack, which does not have the services of their star fast bowler and the leader of the attack – Jasprit Bumrah.
Morne and his father were known to be close. In an earlier interview with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the bowling coach had revealed that the first call he made after landing the India job was to his father.
“When I ended the call, I sat for about five minutes in the room reflecting on it and then I first phoned my dad. He spoke to me, I didn’t even go to my wife. You know, normally they say go to your wife first, but I spoke to my dad and I mean, being a cricket fan for years and knowing what was going to come up, this is quite a special moment for me. So yeah, I enjoyed it for about 5 to 7 minutes to myself and then obviously shared with the family that this is an opportunity and potentially that might happen. I’m just so delighted that we eventually got things over the line, and I’m here,” Morkel said.
India will play a minimum of three matches in Dubai. They will take on Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in their group-stage fixtures. If India qualify for the semi-final and the final of the tournament, one of the semi-finals and the final will be held at the Dubai International Stadium as well.
