‘They are both young and still learning their trade’ – Morne Morkel on Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav

Morne Morkel on Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

India’s five-match T20I series against West Indies begins on October 6 in Lucknow. The squad includes two young fast bowlers, Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav, who have been recalled and selected respectively for the series. Both players represent the emerging pace attack that India is building for the format.

Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, has assessed the development of both players ahead of the series. Morkel highlighted the youth and learning phase of both bowlers as they continue their international careers, emphasising the importance of attitude and work ethic in their progression.

“They are both young and are still learning their trade. Sometimes the challenge is that you have them for a small window of time and then they go away. Although we keep in touch and stay connected, it is hard to keep your personal touch as a bowling coach on them. Then they come back and we work on a couple of things. That is something we can try in the future to make better. I am excited to see how they go with this opportunity,” said Morkel as quoted by Cricinfo.

Mayank’s pace always comes to mind: Morkel

Mayank Yadav made his T20I debut on October 6, 2024 against Bangladesh and has played six T20I matches to date, with his most recent appearance on July 23, 2026 against Zimbabwe. The 24-year-old has faced significant challenges during his international career, having played only five additional T20Is in two years since his debut due to debilitating injuries. Morkel recognised Mayank’s standout qualities as a bowler. Morkel acknowledged the resilience shown by Mayank Yadav in returning to international cricket after injury setbacks.

Prince Yadav made his ODI debut on June 17, 2026 against Afghanistan and his T20I debut on June 28, 2026 against Ireland. He has played three ODI matches and six T20I matches, with his last T20I appearance on July 25, 2026 against Zimbabwe. Morkel highlighted both players’ determination and work ethic as defining characteristics.

“If you look at Mayank, immediately what comes to mind is his pace, his X-factor. For a young player to get through that and then again find himself in a situation to play for India just shows attitude. For me, Prince was a net bowler [in the IPL] a couple of years ago and is now playing for India. At the end of the day, you want guys in a squad or playing for India who have fantastic attitudes, who are keen to keep working hard, because those guys will deliver for the team,” said Morkel.

We have got luxury with players: Morkel

Managing young talent across multiple formats and domestic seasons presents distinct challenges for the coaching staff. Morkel explained the difficulty of maintaining continuity with players who move between domestic cricket, IPL and international assignments.

“We are going to keep asking those guys to work hard at training and nets. You never know, in certain conditions, the ball might grip a little bit more and it might suit one guy, and then they will become four-over bowlers. It is about always keeping these guys ready, and, from there, reading the conditions, reading what the wicket is doing, and boundary sizes. We have got a luxury here that it is quite a big field, so these guys come into the conversation a lot more,” Morkel concluded.