Umran Malik isn’t finished product to play international cricket says Aakash Chopra: Former Indian cricketer and renowned commentator Aakash Chopra reckons Umran Malik is a distance away from being a finished product in international cricket. Despite bowling quick, which saw him earn his maiden international call-up, Malik is too raw and unsuited for the highest level of cricket.
Chopra during his Youtube Q&A session said that Umran Malik needs more cricket exposure before playing international cricket.
The express pacer came into the limelight after he delivered thunderbolts in the Indian Premier League season fifteen for Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Jammu & Kashmir bowler scalped 22 wickets in 14 games and was a treat to watch.
“Umran Malik has something that others don’t have – extreme pace. You can’t teach that to anyone. You can teach everything else – line and length, yorker, bouncer, slower ones. But you can’t teach someone how to bowl with speed. You are either born a pacer or born a medium-pacer,” said Chopra during a Q&A session on his YouTube channel.
The cricketer-turned commentator stressed the fact that Umran Malik hasn’t played a lot of domestic cricket. The 22-years old has just played one First-Class game and is only active in T20 cricket.
“No doubt, he has the pace. But what I feel is that Umran Malik is not ready for international cricket as of now. It is very simple, he needs time. He hasn’t played a lot of cricket and so he is still raw,” he added.
Following Malik’s success in the IPL 2022, several pundits and fans called for his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad. Malik, who bowls consistently with 145+ KPH, no doubt, has that exciting factor, however, his line and length aren’t good enough to set the international stage on fire.
Malik was picked in the third T20I against England where he was smacked for over 50 runs in just four overs. The young pacer though scalped a wicket of Jason Roy, his overall outing remained expensive.
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