Malik's heroics in IPL 15, where he too 22 wickets, earned him maiden call-up for India.
Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar said that the young Jammu & Kashmir pacer is ready to play international cricket. He called the pacer ‘most exciting prospect’ and believes that he can represent India for a long time.
Malik has been in the talks ever since he took the cricket fraternity by storm with his raw pace in the IPL 2022. The young fast bowler impressed one and all with his ability to consistently deliver quick deliveries this season. He bowled the second fastest delivery of the season 157 kph after Lockie Ferguson (157.3 kph), who surpassed him in the final.
Not only did Malik impress many with his pace, but he also was the strike bowler for his team and took 22 wickets in the tournament, the fourth-highest in this season. His best performance in the tournament came in SRH’s encounter against GT, where he took his maiden five-wicket haul in the tournament and returned with the figures of 5/25. The right-arm pacer also was awarded emerging Player of the Season.
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Following his heroics in the IPL, he earned a maiden call-up in the national side for the ongoing T20I series against South Africa. However, the speedster didn’t get a chance in the first two games, which the hosts lost.
With his pace, he can be a tempting option for management to play and there are many calls regarding his inclusion in the side as they feel that India should give him chance to prove himself at the international stage. It is expected that the right-arm pacer will make his debut in the ongoing T20I series between India and South Africa.
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Dilip Vengsarkar too feels that Umran deserves a place in the Indian XI after the kind of speed and accuracy he showed in the IPL. He believes that the ongoing home series against South Africa is the right time to test him.
"Everybody has a different outlook on the game. But I feel he deserves to play after showing that kind of speed and accuracy in the IPL. Also when you are playing (international cricket) at home, that's the right time to test somebody like him," Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times.
Calling Malik the ‘most exciting prospect’, Vengsarkar said that the young pacer will be able to play for a long time for India.
“He is one of the most exciting prospects I have seen in the last 10 years. I hope he does well because he looks very fit, and he has that aggression of fast bowler. He has got pace and accuracy. I think he should be able to play for India for a long time," he added.
It remains to be seen if Umran Malik will make his T20 debut in the upcoming third T20I against South Africa on Tuesday (14th June) in Visakhapatnam.
(IANS inputs)