I'm happy his body is in good shape at the moment - Morkel on Bumrah

India bowling coach Morne Morkel admitted to have been 'blown away' by Jasprit Bumrah's rhythm during the team's practice sessions in the build up to the first Test of the England series. The 31-year-old Bumrah had a landmark series in Australia at the end of the last year but couldn't add to his 32 wickets after suffering a back injury that kept him out of the final day of the series in Sydney.

It was an injury setback that ruled Bumrah out of the ensuing Champions Trophy and he returned to competitive action only at the recently-concluded IPL, where he had to bowl just four overs in a game. Head coach Gautam Gambhir revealed that his pace ace would play only three Tests on the England tour and Morkel reiterated the importance of managing him. But that didn't stop him admiring the intensity of Bumrah's performances in the nets.

"Bumrah knows how to get himself ready, he knows how to prepare," Morkel said on Wednesday. "I was blown away to see the energy on the ball the last three days. That's very exciting to see. I'm happy his body is in good shape at the moment.

"We'll manage him with that. We'll be smart with him because he's obviously key for us, but in terms of the first three net sessions, lot to be excited watching him bowl with the Dukes ball."

India have much to ponder about their bowling combination with Bumrah in their XI. Nitish Reddy was a breakout star on the tour of Australia, with a Boxing Day century studding his growing potential. But India had him bowl only 44 overs across the five Tests and that meant more workloads for the frontline fast bowlers, especially Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who ended up bowling 151.2 and 157.1 overs respectively.

Morkel said he was eager to the see the ball a lot more in Nitish's hands, if he were picked in England. "The more bowling options we can have, that's great. He's skillful. He's a guy that can bowl that magical ball, so for him it's about creating that consistency, it's something we want to work on, it's important for his game as well.

"I've had conversations with him where I've challenged him to bowl a bit more, and I want to see the ball more in his hands. We all know what he can do with the bat. But for a team, if you can have those bowling options, especially in these conditions, I think he'll be one to be excited and compliment his bowling attack."

Morkel reiterated that it was important for the team as a whole to get up to speed as fast as possible, especially with regard to being match fit. "You need to find a way to get up to speed as quick as possible, because that's going to be a real test. English outfields are quite heavy, the weather conditions are quite cold, so your body can stiffen up. It's one thing for me, ticking a box, doing well in the nets, but it's again, it's that match fitness, that time in the field that we need to, as quick as possible, find a way to get up to speed with."

India will have an intra-squad warm-up game from June 13 to June 16 at Beckenham with the two teams mixed up between players of the Test squad as well as the 'A' team. They will then depart to Leeds for the start of the first Test in Leeds from June 20.