Umran Malik, the speedster from Jammu and Kashmir, who impressed everyone with his fast bowling skills for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2022, was seen practicing with the Indian team after receiving his maiden international cricket call-up for the South Africa T20I series.
Under the guidance of former India cricketer Irfan Pathan, Umran worked his way up and made it to the world's richest franchise cricket league - the IPL. The 22-year-old quickie is the current record-holder for the fastest delivery (157 kmph) by an Indian bowler in the IPL.
Umran is expected to make his international debut in the forthcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa.
Speaking about the rise of Umran in a discussion on Star Sports show Game Plan, former Indian all-rounder Irfan recalled the advice he had for the young gun.
"I always tell him that you have to pay attention to your line and length but you should not reduce your pace at all. The more he tries to keep the ball close to the three stumps and keeps on bowling the hard length, everything else will come with time," Pathan said.
Umran became the youngest Indian bowler to scalp 20 wickets in an IPL season. The pace sensation ended his IPL 2022 campaign with 22 wickets in 14 matches to his name.
"I have just simple advice for him after every match, whether it was in the IPL or will be going forward - what you have done well today and where you have to improve. This process has to be there till he or anyone else plays cricket. We have seen Sachin Tendulkar follow this process although no one else has had a career like him," Irfan added.
(Star Sports inputs)
