T20 World Cup: India bowling coach Morkel defends 'tacky' Wankhede, Motera pitches

India bowling coach Morne Morkel has come out in support of the curators at the Wankhede Stadium and the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, backing their efforts after the slightly tacky surfaces at both venues drew scrutiny during the T20 World Cup.

India bowling coach Morne Morkel has thrown his weight behind the curators at the Wankhede Stadium and the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera after the slightly tacky surfaces at both venues sparked debate during the T20 World Cup.

The pitches in Mumbai and Ahmedabad have not been the typical belters many expected. At the Wankhede Stadium, there was underlying moisture, while at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, the ball tended to grip, making stroke-play far from straightforward.

Most of the Indian batters found it difficult to force the pace under such conditions. Even free-flowing stroke-makers like Tilak Varma struggled to get going in the earlier games, and Suryakumar Yadav had to spend time adjusting before accelerating.

However, Morkel was sympathetic towards the ground staff, acknowledging the challenge of preparing high-scoring surfaces so late in the season.

"You know, credit to the curators for, like you say, so late in the season still producing wickets that are 200 plus surfaces. It's a nightmare," Morkel told the reporters.

The former South Africa pacer pointed out that curators are often caught between fan expectations and the practical realities of pitch preparation.