Morkel urges younger players to learn from Kohli and Sharma

India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel said Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are being encouraged to share their experience with younger players in captain Shubman Gill’s team, as India prepared for the opening match of its one-day international series against the West Indies. Morkel said before the first ODI that the two senior batters could help guide Gill and contribute to the team’s development. He praised Gill’s leadership and said players may feel more comfortable consulting different senior teammates. Kohli and Sharma bring extensive international experience, Morkel said, making their presence valuable beyond their on-field performances. The coaching approach, as Morkel described it, is to prompt younger players to seek advice directly rather than leave learning to chance. He said team meetings include questions intended to give senior players opportunities to discuss their experience. The team also encourages conversations during practice, including asking Kohli for batting advice and consulting Sharma about facing the new ball. Morkel did not provide examples of specific mentoring conversations or say how often younger players have taken up the invitations.