'This is how Pakistan used to think when they had bowlers clocking 90mph': Ex-India batter's bold Umran Malik advice

Umran Malik is currently a part of the Indian white-ball setup and was picked for the West Indies tour despite an indifferent IPL 2023.

Umran Malik is the next great hope for Indian cricket, with the pacer already capable of reaching express speeds despite his youth and inexperience. His immense promise has already earned him some caps for India in the white ball formats, used as a short-burst bowler and a difference-maker in limited overs formats. However, his form and consistency has been up-and-down, and former Indian opener Sanjay Manjrekar reckons Malik should actually be tried out in Test cricket.

Umran Malik during a T20I against Sri Lanka in January 2023 (PTI)

Speaking on News24, Manjrekar said “I believe if you have to pick Umran, give him a chance in Test cricket because we saw when Mark Wood played the last Ashes Test, a guy who can bowl 90 miles per hour, his specialty is that the tail-enders don't stay against him for long.” Manjrekar reflected on the success Englishman Wood had against the Australian team at their Test match in Headingley, with his pace bothering the Australian batters.

Umran had a subpar IPL 2023, with an economy of 10.85 in his 8 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was dropped by the franchise after poor performances, but his potential meant he still got a white-ball call-up for the tour to the West Indies.

Manjrekar believed Test cricket could be kinder to the bowler, who has been criticized for being too expensive over his young career, even if he can deliver with wickets.

“So if you have to see Umran Malik, instead of white-ball cricket, if you have a Test series that is not that high-profile, give him a chance there, three-four over spells. So he will be an X-factor in our bowling,” said Manjrekar.

“When you have a lot of pace, there is a lot of pressure in white-ball cricket, you have to bowl absolutely accurately, if the ball goes even slightly here and there, you can prove expensive and then the captain does not gamble that much.”

Malik has been an expensive bowler in his international career as well, going above 10rpo in his 8 T20 matches and over a run-a-ball in his 8 ODI matches. However, he has shown promise with his ability to deliver wickets in big moments.

Manjrekar concluded by comparing Malik to the pacers Pakistan blooded through Test cricket in the past, a format which certainly requires more discipline but can be kinder to errors and inaccuracy than the shortest form. “This is how Pakistan used to think earlier, when they had young bowlers who bowled 90 miles an hour, they fast-tracked them straightaway into Test cricket and not much in white-ball cricket,” concluded the former opener.

Malik isn’t part of the Test squad that will play two matches in the Caribbean, but he will be hoping for game-time in the white ball series to follow. 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is will give him plenty of opportunity, but Umran will need to improve his consistency if he wishes to be part of the team’s plans heading into the World Cup later this year.