'India is a second home to me'

With the World Cup going on in full swing, the talented bowler is extremely excited to show his prowess in the sport in the days to come.

“I am really looking forward to playing all the World Cup matches,” he told Metrolife as he shopped at a busy mall, oblivious of the crowd surrounding him.

“I love India and it’s like a second home to me,” he exclaims. Bangalore has treated him with warmth too. “We have had a great time. We are staying in a lovely hotel and had fun celebrating AB’s birthday recently,” he says, speaking about his teammate AB De Villiers.

Morkel enjoys Indian food as well. “Tandoori chicken and butter chicken are my favourites,” he gushes. However, the spice in the Indian food is something that he is still getting used to.

“I don’t like very spicy food,” he smiles modestly. He is a complete outdoor person. “During my free time, I love fishing,” he reveals. “I also love spending time with my family — my mom, dad, brother and I’ve got two nephews now,” he notes.

Which form of cricket is his favourite — the One Days or the Twenty20s? “I like both. But you can rest better during the Twenty20 matches as they are fast-paced. There’s a big crowd for them too.”

He is aware of the love that Indians share for cricket. Ask him about the expectations of million Indians from the Indian Cricket Team especially Sachin Tendulkar, and he says, “Sachin is a legend. Only he can handle this type of pressure.” He adds, “But Indian cricket fans are very supportive of the other teams as well.”

And what’s the probability of South Africa winning the World Cup? “Our chances of winning are as good as any other team,” he answers. “We share a great team spirit and there is a good vibe going on in the team.” However, he doesn’t have any high expectations. “I just want to play good cricket at the moment,” he signs off.