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Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pace sensation Umran Malik will hope to back up his 22 wickets in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 if and when he makes his India team debut during the upcoming five-match T20I series at home against South Africa. His exceptional pace and wicket-taking abilities caught the eyes of the Selection Committee, but one major concern is his propensity to give away a lot of runs when he is unable to get his line and lengths straight.
Despite his 22 wickets, Umran has an expensive economy rate of 9.03. Keeping this in mind, former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has issued a warning to the team management and stand-in skipper KL Rahul about using Umran wisely.
“Umran Malik is a special talent because of the speed with which he bowls. Hence, he has to be used carefully by India and the India captain. Because he is a player, if used too much in the powerplay, may end up conceding a lot of runs. However, if he is used effectively, he can become an asset for the Indian team,” Sehwag told Cricbuzz.
The 22-year-old pacer from Jammu and Kashmir has consistently bowled at a pace of over 150 kmph, his fastest of the season being 157 against Delhi Capitals (DC).
Another player who previously expressed his concerns is former India pacer Munaf Patel, who advised the BCCI to take good care of him to increase his longevity in the game.
"It is a natural reaction if somebody comes up from a small place where there is no infrastructure. Umran has come up the same way I did. You need to take good care of him. He will last long only if the BCCI does that," wrote Munaf in a column for the Indian Express.
"The BCCI should not wait for him to perform in the domestic circuit and then bring him into the Indian team. You take him as the 17th member of the squad if you want, but do take him along. He will learn about the culture and various situations and will learn to adapt if he stays around with everyone. It is something that has to be done," he added.
Munaf also lauded the IPL for unearthing talents like Umran, especially the ones who belong to remote places in India, "It is so good to see such kids getting opportunities in the IPL. The scouts that go out to spot talent… It feels good that the world’s biggest league is benefitting our players, especially those who come from small places. Otherwise, who knows how he would have come in and where he would have played. Now he is the league’s fastest bowler, and that makes me very happy."
