India still learning pink-ball cricket: Morkel

Adelaide: India bowling coach Morne Morkel on Friday admitted that the team's bowlers struggled with execution and length during the ongoing second Test against Australia, attributing it to their limited experience in pink-ball cricket.

India were struggling at 128 for 5 in their second innings, still trailing Australia by 29 runs at stumps on day two of the day-night Test.

Earlier centurion Travis Head (140) and Marnus Labuschagne (64) put the hosts in the driver's seat, helping them secure a sizeable 157-run first-innings lead.

"With the pink-ball so far in this match there's always a little something in the wicket. If you're consistent in your area, there was the odd ball that nipped around. At the end of the day it's having the plans and executing them in partnership for long enough," Morkel said during the post-day press-conference.

"I think that's what Australia has done in this Test match so far, the guys that bowled well on day one made scoring for us tough. But when a ball gets a little bit softer it can get easier to score and then you've got the night session to think and worry about.

"In terms of tempo, I think this team is still figuring out what is the best way to play pink-ball cricket because we don't have a lot of experience playing the pink-ball. So it is learning but also it's fast learning because now it's a Test match and you're behind the game." Reflecting on the bowling performance, Morkel said: "If I can just draw from the first Test, our lines and lengths were exceptional and that was sort of the blueprint going into this Test series, we wanted to bring the stumps into play as much as possible.

"Last night with the ball moving around a bit, we missed that, we were slightly off the mark with that in terms of finding the right sort of length and at times we were touch wide. We allowed the guys to leave a lot of balls...that's where you can pick up your wickets.

"I thought we came out this morning again and we sort of got more balls in the right areas more consistently. I think in partnership we bowled better but from there for this young bowling group..."

"Head tests execution of bowlers"

Head proved to be India's nemesis yet again, with a counterattacking 140 off 141 balls that guided Australia to 337 in their first innings in response to India's 180.

Morkel acknowledged that the Indian bowlers were slow in executing their plans, allowing Head to dominate.

"He's just a guy that is looking to score, as a bowler he puts you under pressure, so your execution gets tested every ball," he said.

"I thought when he came to the crease, we bowled really well and looked like we could knock him over. But credit to him he fought well through that phase, got himself in and from there put the pressure back on us.

"I think we were sort of a little bit slow to react and going from maybe plan A to plan B, especially with 10 overs to go before the second new ball, we leaked a bit of runs there from one side and that's something we need to look at and get better. Once he gets momentum, a bit of feel of the wicket, he's going to put you under pressure." Head, 30, boasts a strong record against India in Tests, with 955 runs in 12 matches, including two centuries and four fifties.

Despite Australia's strong position, Morkel insisted that the game hasn't yet slipped away from India.

"Pulled away, I wouldn't say that, although coming in this morning we still felt we didn't execute and bowl to what we would like but if we get the ball in the right area, we're back in the game," he said.

"This afternoon, when the ball got softer, we might have considered going more defensive for longer periods. But we want to play aggressive cricket.

"Credit to Travis; I don't want to take anything away from a great hundred. It's just a mixed bag at the moment. We were not as sharp as we should have been for a few overs, and you can't afford that against a quality team." Morkel feels the pink-ball experience will make Harshit Rana stronger as a cricketer.

"Test Cricket is a tough place, there's no place to hide. He's only played his second Test match, he's going to learn from those conversations. I think my job is to put my arms around him today, playing in front of 50,000 people that is intimidating," he said.

"He's got a lot of potential that we still back him as a team...it's painful but it will help you along the way." Rishabh Pant's counterattacking 25-ball 28 not out earned praise from Morkel, who called him a "brave cricketer." "That is Rishabh's character, I think he's a guy that's going to take the game on, he's exactly like Travis, he's going to try and put the bowler under pressure...he's still not out tonight, he's a brave cricketer and his goal is to really put the bowler under pressure, that's his blueprint."