Edgbaston : India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has defended the team’s decision to declare late on Day 4 of the Edgbaston Test against England, stating that the move was not influenced by concerns over England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach, but rather aimed at ensuring a commanding and weather-proof position in the match.
India posted a massive 427 in their second innings, powered by a stunning 161 from Shubman Gill, and crucial half-centuries by Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant, setting England an improbable target of 608 runs. At stumps on Day 4, England found themselves in trouble at 72/3, still needing 536 runs with only 7 wickets in hand on the final day.
Despite the dominant position, some critics and fans questioned the timing of India’s declaration, suggesting that it came too late. By batting deep into the fourth day, India allowed England only 16 overs to face before stumps, limiting their opportunity to exploit deteriorating pitch conditions or the overcast weather with the new ball.
Addressing the media after Day 4, Morkel said the team had thoroughly discussed the declaration but believed the wicket still offered decent batting conditions, and they preferred to reach a safe and uncontestable position before putting England in.
“It’s a good question and one we spoke about a lot during the day,” Morkel said. “We saw that it was still a pretty good wicket to bat on. Our players were scoring at 4 to 5 runs an over comfortably. With the weather being unpredictable, we couldn’t take that chance. The idea was to get into a comfortable position and then unleash our bowlers under grey skies.”
Morkel highlighted that the extra cushion in terms of runs gave India flexibility and peace of mind, especially given the possibility of weather interruptions. The plan worked, he said, as India picked up three crucial wickets late in the day.
“We got the 2–3 wickets we hoped for in those final overs of the day — that’s a bonus. Now tomorrow morning’s first hour becomes absolutely crucial.”
He added that discipline in line and length, especially in the early overs on Day 5, would be key to wrapping up the Test match.
“As we saw today morning, if you bowl in the right areas, there’s help available. Tomorrow, we need to be absolutely focused from ball one.”
India now head into the final day with the upper hand, needing just seven wickets to secure a memorable win, while England face a near-impossible chase on a pitch that is beginning to test the batters’ patience and skill.
