Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Umran Malik has made heads turn with his rapid pace in IPL 2022. The 21-year-old quick has picked up 15 wickets from 10 matches but more that anything else, it is the speed that he generates is what has made him a household name in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League. Only into his second IPL season, Umran has cranked it up and bowled the fastest delivery of this season, clocking 157kmph against Delhi Capitals. He has picked up a five-wicket haul, rattling Gujarat Titans with figures of 5/25 and troubled Kolkata Knight Riders with a match haul of 4/28, including three wickets in the last over.
With each outing, clamours for Umran’s inclusion in the Indian team is growing. Former England captain Kevin Pietersen and many more believe that Umran should be fast-tracked into the Indian team, with Harbhajan Singh even saying that the SRH quick should partner Jasprit Bumrah with the new ball at the T20 World Cup. Joining the bandwagon is another legendary bowler, former South Africa Dale Steyn, who reckons as well that Umran is ready to play international cricket for India.
“He is an all-out fast bowler. Above 90 per cent of his deliveries are around 142 to 145kmph – tell you he is looking for pace all the time. This makes batters think differently in the way they approach him and where they score off him… That is the reason he has picked up wickets. The message to him is to keep things simple. [Just] stay straight, look to attack the stumps, use the bouncer, be smart when you want to change pace, and bowl to your field,” Steyn told The Week.
Steyn has been Umran’s mentor and has guided him well. Umran has on occasions leaked runs, but such is the youngster’s pace that Steyn is confident that any international team in the world would want to have a talent like Malik up their ranks.
“How India uses him is up to them, but he is certainly capable of playing international cricket. One guy bowling 150kmph consistently; I think every international team will want him. How and where you use him is critical,” Steyn.
Umran is young and with like young fast bowler, the biggest concern is the player being prone to injuries. So far, Umran has appeared fit despite setting the speedometer on fire, and has appeared rather comfortable in all the matches he has played. Nonetheless, Steyn has a word of caution for Umran if he is to get selected in the Indian squad.
“The challenge will be to maintain the pace and avoid injury. “[No need to] try anything too different, stick to what you know and what works for you,” said Steyn. “The moment you start introducing different things to your body, maybe in the gym or in the bowling action, that is when injuries sneak in. For him, it is about managing what he does.”
