'He should be told 'batsman ki aankhein do baar band karaani hain'': Senior India pacer's astonishing advice for Umran

The veteran India fast bowler feels that the management should give Umran Malik the confidence and freedom to use his pace to his fullest and not worry about getting hit for runs.

Umran Malik was the find of IPL 2022. He had burst into the scene a season prior to that with his raw pace, but had proven his wicket-taking abilities with Sunrisers Hyderabad last year which saw him break into the Indian team as well. But the biggest concern that centres around the young pace sensation is workload management and how India can make use of him judiciously.

Umran Malik (AP)

Speaking on Cricbuzz show ‘Rise Of New India’, veteran India fast bowler Ishant Sharma talked about the mindset that needs to be instilled into Umran. He feels that the management should give him the confidence and freedom to use his pace to his fullest and not worry about getting hit for runs. Ishant added that Umran should be told that he needs to put fear into batters.

“He shouldn't worry about ki kaha fek raha hai. Jab khelega, experience ayega toh woh fek hi dega. But abhi sabse important cheez hai ki teez fekni hai. So agar 150-160 jo bhi fek sakta hai woh feke. He should just back himself. Kya farak padta hai ki agar run keliye jaa raha hai toh. Tera kaam run bachana nehi, out karna hai. Jab tak do batters ki aankh band nehi hoti toh speed ka kya faeda? Koi usko iss tarike se confidence de ki batsman ki aankehin do baar to band karani hi hai (He shouldn't worry about where the deliveries land. With experience, he will understand. So if he can bowl at 150 or 160, he should concentrate only on that. What is the use of bowling that fast if the batters don't end up closing their eyes in fear? So someone should tell him and give him the confidence that you have to bowl so fast that batters fail to see it)," he said.

Veteran India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik added that for Umran to be in the 2023 ODI World Cup team, he needs to learn how to bowl with the old and the new ball.

“Umran Malik was the find of the last IPL when it comes to fast bowling for sure. What he brought to the table was extreme pace which India have never had. What I really liked about him is that he has really worked on his consistency in length because when you bowl that fast it becomes really difficult to be consistent with length. He has also been someone who has bowled through the middle of the innings a lot more. The more he bowls in the powerplay and the death, it increases his chance of being in the 2023 World Cup team. And I think he has done that in the T20s,” he added.

Karthik however feels that the Indian skipper has a huge role to play on how Umran is handled with his selection and workload management.

“The key is how he is going to handled. The captain is going to be very very important for him. He is raw compared to other bowlers and doesn't have that knowledge compared to other bowlers so the captain will play a huge role on how he is managed," he concluded.