Starts now:' Morne Morkel sets India's World Cup tone ahead of WI series

In Thiruvananthapuram, India bowling coach Morne Morkel said the three-match ODI series against West Indies is the start of a longer campaign culminating in the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. Speaking at the pre-series press conference on Friday, he argued India must lock in the standards they want early, saying they cannot “step things up” only weeks or a month before a World Cup. Morkel focused on intensity and pressure-building, and noted that Nitish Kumar Reddy faces a delicate workload management challenge after recurring injuries. He emphasized turning Reddy’s instinct into repeatable basics while Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana return from injuries. Morkel added that medical staff and coaches have individual plans for every bowler, monitored toward next year’s tournament, and praised Shubman Gill’s captaincy alongside the mentoring value of senior players including Virat Kohli.