After making his IPL debut in 2021, India pacer Umran Malik caught the attention of the cricketing world with his raw pace. He produced stunning performances in the 2022 season, picking up 22 wickets in 14 matches for SRH, which also paved a way for his inclusion in the national team.
Playing for the country, Umran consistently bowled at the speed of 150 kmph or more. However, he often struggled with line and length and his economy rate of 10.49 from 8 T20Is is a testimony of that.
The Jammu & Kashmir lad also made sporadic appearances in ODIs but failed to leave a mark, taking 13 wickets from 10 matches at an economy of 6.54.
As he lost his place in the Indian side, Umran’s IPL graph also went downhill. While SRH enjoyed a stellar run to the tournament's final, the tearaway quick played just one match. He didn't get to bowl his full quota of overs in that game as well, delivering only one over for 15 runs.
In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express, Umran Malik looked back at his challenging season, mentioning that the lack of playing time with his state team due to poor weather conditions made matter worse for him.
“I was fully prepared that season, but the weather didn’t help. Then I was really looking forward to the IPL as I’d gained a lot in the months preceding the IPL. Unfortunately even that didn’t go the way I wanted," Umran said.
"But it also gave me the time to work on things I wanted to in the practice sessions. I’ve definitely become a better bowler if you ask me. After the IPL, I injured my hamstring and just as I recovered I’m down with dengue,” he added.
A big challenge for Umran in his brief career has been maintaining his economy rate as even though he constantly touches the speed of 150kph, his control often falls short.
The 24-year-old explained how he is working on his bowling ahead of the upcoming season, with an eye on India's highly-anticipated Test tour of Australia later this year.
“These days I’m bowling a lot with the new ball because I believe swing can make a huge difference at my pace. I want to learn a few things, especially how to formulate a plan and execute it," said Umran.
"If you have that, then you will be better prepared to handle the challenges. When I’m bowling in a match, it is not about myself or what I do. I’ve to fit into the bowling group and their plans and compliment them. So I need to be equipped on that front. Even with the new ball, I’m trying to bowl yorkers because if I’m able to execute it properly, then I will get the confidence to bowl it all the time. You need to find ways to surprise the batsmen.
“I want to keep it simple. My plan is to be ready for the domestic season. If I play more matches, then I would definitely be a better bowler. Even though I played only five Ranji matches, I realised how much I gained out of it. I’m waiting for the Duleep Trophy. If I play the entire season then I will know where exactly I stand and it will open up opportunities. I’m waiting to hold the red ball in my hand,” he further remarked.
