Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, and Mukesh Kumar are Ishant Sharma’s picks for India’s next Test bowlers

Mukesh named in India's Test and ODI squad for WI tour; Arshdeep, Umran in ODIs.

Only the second Indian pacer to play more than 100 Tests, Ishant Sharma has named Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, and Mukesh Kumar as his picks to take over as the next Test bowlers for the Indian team going forward.  

So far, the Indian Test bowling quartet of Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah terrorized batters of all other teams whether at home or away.

However, much has changed in the last few years as Ishant is no longer in the selector’s plans for the Indian Test team and Jasprit Bumrah has spent most of his time on the injury list. Umesh Yadav is no longer the force he once used to be and Mohammad Shami is hanging on as the lone fighter.

However, given his workload and the Asia Cup and World Cup to come in the next few months, Shami was rested for the West Indies tour Tests and ODIs, with Mohammed Siraj leading the new-look attack comprised of Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, and Shardul Thakur in Tests.

Recently on a podcast, Ishant Sharma gave his take on India’s search for a new pace bowling attack.

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“If you work properly with him, Umran Malik has the potential to do well for the country for a long period. (The other would be) Arshdeep Singh,” Ishant said on a YouTube podcast with Ranveer Allahbadia.

He then spoke fondly of his Delhi Capitals (DC) teammate Mukesh Kumar and said that the Bengal pacer needed guidance on the field to get the best out of him.

“Not many people know his (Mukesh Kumar) story, but I haven’t seen a man as simple as him. If you ask him to bowl a particular delivery, he will bowl only that! He needs the right guidance on the field so that when the pressure situation comes, he knows what delivery to bowl. He went for runs in IPL because he bowled the tough overs.

No one sees the situation in which he bowled, or which batsman he bowled to. Every one sees that he conceded 50 runs in 4 overs. When Russell is playing and they’ve lost 8 wickets, what does he have to lose? If you even fail to execute one yorker, he will hit you for a six. No one notices these things. If he’s guided properly, he can become a very good fast bowler,” Ishant said.

While Mukesh has been included in both Test and ODI teams, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh will be part of the ODI squad.