India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, admitted that the Indian bowlers failed to make full use of the pink ball during the evening session on Day 1 of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. 

Despite initial expectations for a strong bowling performance under the lights, Indian seamers struggled with line and length, allowing Australia’s Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne to bat through 33 overs, leaving India on the back foot.

Morkel expressed his disappointment over the missed opportunity. "In the first Test match, our lines and lengths were exceptional, and I think that was the blueprint going into this Test series. We wanted to bring the stumps into play as much as we can, and I felt that last night, with the ball moving around a bit, we missed that. We were slightly off the mark in finding the right length,” said Morkel on December 7.

The coach also pointed out how India's bowlers were too wide, allowing the Australian batters to leave deliveries that could have otherwise created wicket-taking opportunities during the crucial twilight period of a pink-ball Test. "At times, we were a touch wide, so we allowed the guys to leave a lot of balls. If you look at the history of pink ball Tests, that time of night, if you bowl in those areas, you can pick up wickets. This morning, we got more balls in the right areas, more consistently, and bowled better in partnerships."

Morkel also showed support for young pacer Harshit Rana, who struggled in his second Test match. He empathized with the youngster, acknowledging the challenges of playing in Australia for the first time. "Harshit Rana is playing his second Test match; it will be a big learning curve for him. He’s a guy who will learn from today, and we can just look to get better. Test cricket is a tough place. There is no place to hide," Morkel said. "Playing in front of 50,000 people is intimidating."

Morkel also addressed concerns over Bumrah’s fitness after the pacer was seen holding his adductor muscle and receiving treatment from the team physio. "With Bumrah, he's fine. It was just a cramp, and after that, he bowled and picked up wickets," Morkel confirmed.