Fast bowler Umran Malik was given a reality check by England on Sunday, when he was belted around the park by Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan and later Chris Jordan. Umran picked the wicket of England opener Jason Roy but ended up conceding 56 runs, becoming the most expensive Indian bowler in the match.
England scored 215/7 and India went on to lose the match by 17 runs despite batter Suryakumar Yadav smashing 117 off 55 balls. This was only Umran's third T20I and he had conceded 42 runs in his previous match as well. Former India fast bowler Madan Lal has said that it is better to get Umran to play Test cricket, where he can bowl many overs and figure out how to swing the ball.
“Don't make him play T20 cricket. Get him to play Test matches. Harden him like that. As a pacer, I say that he is a very good bowler but you have to make him a bowler. Give him a chance in Test cricket where he can bowl 10-15 overs and learn the craft of getting wickets,” said Madan Lal on Sports Tak.
“Here the batters were ready for him and he was the one who got hit the most. His deliveries were nicely coming on to their bats. I had said earlier that speeds won't be of much use if you don't take wickets and you don't move the ball. He is inexperienced and that experience will come in Test matches. If I was the selector, I would not have taken him in the T20 squad,” he further said.
{{/usCountry}}“Here the batters were ready for him and he was the one who got hit the most. His deliveries were nicely coming on to their bats. I had said earlier that speeds won't be of much use if you don't take wickets and you don't move the ball. He is inexperienced and that experience will come in Test matches. If I was the selector, I would not have taken him in the T20 squad,” he further said.
{{/usCountry}}India scored 198/9 with Suryakumar almost single-handedly keeping the visitors in the chase. India won the series 2-1 despite the loss, having beaten England in the first and second T20Is earlier.