Young Jammu pace sensation, Umran Malik, made his much-awaited ODI debut against New Zealand in the first ODI.
Umran Malik swayed the whole nation with his sheer, extraordinary pace. Malik made his debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad mid-season. He was an instant hit owing to his raw pace. Umran constantly clocked 145+ kmph. Moreover, his yorkers at this pace were unplayable for the batter, and he finished as the emerging player of the season.
Fans were impressed with the young lad’s pace. It was very rare that an Indian fast bowler was coming with this ability. Hence, his debut in the national team was speculated months ago. Finally, he got a chance against New Zealand. Umran Malik bowled his quota of 10 overs and clinched 2 crucial wickets. He looked in control at the start but leaked a few runs in the death.
“You can either have really good pace or control,” Zaheer Khan’s verdict on Umran Malik
Former Indian fast bowler, Zaheer Khan was impressed with the Jammu Express. He stated that Umran Malik is a wicket-taker and should be nurtured well. He further added that in the process of taking a wicket, Umran Malik will leak a few runs, but at that moment, the captain needs to back the bowler.
“You need variety in your bowling attack. You have used different bowlers for different things. When you look at Umran, you have got to look at him as a wicket-taker. Let him flourish as a bowler who is going to be that striker of your attack. He someone who is probably not thinking about runs. He will leak runs in the process but you have got to take it in your stride and just back him to be free. That is something which is very important. You can either have a really good pace or control. Till the time he is bowling quick, you have to let him be free”
“He was very impressive because he showed that control at the start,” Ajit Agarkar
Zaheer Khan’s partner on the panel Ajit Agarkar agreed with Zaheer’s remarks. He said that for a rookie like Umran Malik, he had a great day on the field. Agarkar went on to say that not many bowlers can bowl at such a fast pace in India. Umran Malik is a rare gem and needs to be managed carefully.
“We don’t expect a young bowler, who is a tear away, to come and bowl on the right line and lengths immediately. That is what gives them the X-Factor. He was very impressive because he showed that control at the start. I think he had a terrific debut and lots to look forward to. There are lots of bowlers who can bowl line and length but very few who can get it up to 150. That’s a special ability to have. You’ve got to nurture it and give him that confidence”
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