During the previous IPL season, Umran Malik’s exceptional pace left fans at the edge of their seats, causing anxiety for the batters and excitement for experts of the game. The young talent picked 22 wickets in 14 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad, including a five-wicket haul, and also broke the record for the fastest-ever ball in IPL history. Subsequently, Umran was recruited into the Indian T20I squad and later made his debut in the ODIs as well. Although he did not make it to the T20 World Cup team. Australia’s pace legend Brett Lee believes that Umran should be rapidly promoted into the Indian Test attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
Despite making his debut in June, Umran has only demonstrated flashes of his true talent in international cricket, obtaining 13 and 11 wickets in the two white-ball formats, respectively, having played eight matches each. Although he made his debut in red-ball cricket for India A during the 2021 South Africa tour, the 23-year-old has yet to be considered for a Test debut.
On Umran being picked for the test team
In response to a query from Hindustan Times Brett Lee praised the young player.
“Why not? He is good enough in my opinion. He has got good pace, got nice action and runs in well with a beautiful approach. So yes he can be injected,”
he said on the sidelines of Legends League Cricket.
Lee later said,
“He is a superstar in the making”.
Lee has some advice for Indian fast bowlers
Brett Lee also offered some valuable advice to Jasprit Bumrah, who is expected to be out of action due to a back injury. Although he acknowledged that Bumrah’s absence creates a significant gap in the Indian attack. Lee believes that the 29-year-old must make some technical adjustments to his bowling routine upon his return to the sport.
I wouldn’t say it makes it weak. I would definitely say that it leaves a whole in there. And I mean this as a compliment because he is that good. Bumrah has got a wonderful record. Unfortunately for him, he has had that worrying back issue for quite sometime now. The only advice I would say is that with his run up being so short. He has to find that pace and power out of his action. Where I think, maybe now in due course he might extend his run up. To allow that pressure to be taken of his back.”
he said.
