Umran Malik’s stocks are on the rise ever since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, where he took 22 scalps in 14 games for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Thanks to his IPL exploits, Umran earned his India call-up and he has already made a mark at the highest level by consistently bowling at the speed of 150 kmph or more.

Due to his scorching pace, the Indian speedster often gets compared with Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf. However, former Pakistan pacer Aaqib Javed reckons that Rauf is much more accomplished than Umran.

Aaqib further cited that drawing parallels between Rauf and Umran is equivalent to comparing Virat Kohli with the other batters in the world.

“Umran Malik is not as trained and fit as Haris Rauf. If you look at him in ODIs, in his first spell he bowls around 150 kmph but by the 7th or 8th over, the speed drops to 138 kmph. The difference is the same as it is between Kohli and the rest of the batters,” Aqib Javed was quoted as saying while speaking to Events & Happenings Sports.

He also lauded Haris Rauf for his strict diet and lifestyle in order to bowl fast on a consistent basis.

“He (Haris) is very disciplined with his diet, training and his lifestyle. I have not seen a single Pakistan bowler who has a diet like Haris. No one has a clear lifestyle like him. Bowling 160 kmph is not a big deal for me, but bowling at the same speed throughout the match is very crucial,” Javed added.

Having made his international debut last year, Umran Malik has represented India in 7 ODIs and 6 T20Is so far, claiming a total of 21 wickets. During the recently held white-ball series against Sri Lanka, the Jammu & Kashmir lad touched the speed of 156 km/h, which is the fastest ball bowled by an Indian pacer in international cricket.

On the other hand, Haris Rauf made his Pakistan debut in 2020. As of today, he has played 1 Test, 18 ODIs and 57 T20Is, picking 103 scalps across formats.