As the highly anticipated Test series between India and South Africa approaches, former South African captain Graeme Smith has playfully stoked the rivalry by referring to Morne Morkel, the current India bowling coach, as the "enemy". This remark adds an intriguing layer to the contest, given Morkel's historical significance as one of South Africa's finest bowlers.

Morkel's appointment as India's bowling coach marks a significant chapter in his coaching career. The former Proteas fast bowler, who replaces Paras Mhambrey, will officially commence his duties from September 19 with the Bangladesh series, with his tenure extending until the end of the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. The 39-year-old Morkel was reportedly head coach Gautam Gambhir's primary choice, having worked with him at Lucknow Super Giants. Other potential candidates included Lakshmipathy Balaji and R Vinay Kumar.

Morkel's extensive experience in international cricket makes him a valuable asset to the Indian team. He played 86 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 44 T20Is for South Africa, amassing a total of 544 international wickets. Morkel, who retired from international cricket after the Australia series in 2018, also has experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he played 70 matches for Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, and Kolkata Knight Riders.

Before his appointment with the Indian team, Morkel briefly served as the bowling coach for the Pakistan national cricket team in 2023. He also has worked with Namibia and Durban's Super Giants in competitive cricket.

Morkel's familiarity with Indian conditions, coupled with his experience of working with Gambhir at Lucknow Super Giants, is expected to benefit the Indian bowling attack. Having observed India's emerging fast bowlers closely in the IPL, including Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, and Yash Thakur, Morkel is well-positioned to guide them. A key challenge for him will be to manage the transition as Mohammed Shami approaches the end of his career and to provide support to Jasprit Bumrah, especially in Test cricket.

Recently, Morkel addressed concerns about Arshdeep Singh's limited game time, explaining that the team management is exploring different combinations with the T20 World Cup on the horizon. He emphasized that Arshdeep is an experienced bowler who understands the need to experiment and that the team values his contributions.

As India prepares to face South Africa, all eyes will be on how Morkel's insights and strategies impact the Indian bowling performance. The first Test is scheduled to begin on Friday at Eden Gardens. The pitch conditions are expected to favor pace bowlers, and head coach Gautam Gambhir has already discussed the pitch with curator Sujan Mukherjee. With India's strong spin attack and impressive performances from the young squad, Sourav Ganguly has already declared India as the "favourites" for the Test series.