Could Umran Malik make the grade?

Pace is an excellent skill to have. Hurling the ball at 150KMPH requires lot of strength and power. The bowler will have to maintain peak fitness inorder to deliver balls at that speed consistently. India may have found one in Umran Malik. There have been Indian genuine fast bowlers but they slowed down after the first couple of years. Ishant Sharma, Srinath comes to mind. It is that difficult to bowl fast all the time. Hence, these bowlers need protection. Could Umran Malik make the grade?

Ask any batsmen about playing deliveries at 150 KMPH and they will say that they are never comfortable negotiating that pace. Even the best of batsmen, is nervous against the quick bowlers. Such is the impact pace has on the batsmen. Umran has that effect in the ongoing IPL. The searing pace is unsettling the opposition who are mostly Indian batsmen who aren’t that used to facing express deliveries. The yorker to Padikkal that smashed into the stumps is a sight to behold. More so, for the Indian supporter who is perennially short of watching high quality Indian fast bowlers.

Umran is young with lots of time

Umran is 21 years old and still has age on his side. At the moment, he is an unproven bowler and is very much a work-in-progress and as such, is quite raw. Indian selectors have previously made mistakes in selecting raw fast bowlers who have found the international stage a bridge too far to cross. Jayadev Unadkat and Ishant Sharma made their India debut before they turned 20 and struggled. Though Ishant has played for more than 10 years and 100 tests, he never turned into the bowler that everyone hoped and expected him to become.

Ofcourse, sports medicine and sports science have come a long way from the time of Ishant and Unadkat. There is a much better understanding of the body of a player. The Indian management has taken special care of players with special abilities. Just look at Bumrah. He has hardly played in India despite making his debut more than 6 years ago. He is given short spells so that he can be at his best all the time. Kohli and Shastri before, and now, Dravid and Rohit have looked after Bumrah quite well though the same cannot be said of his franchise, Mumbai Indians who have played Bumrah in more than 95% of the games.

Umran’s progress must be monitored

Umran will be a wonderful addition to the Indian squad. I am sure Chetan Sharma, the chairman of selectors, Dravid the coach and Rohit the captain are all keeping track of Umran’s progress. With Bumrah, Shami & Siraj, Umran will give the captain a lot of options. However, is this the right time to blood Umrah in the Indian team?

He has hardly played cricket at the Ranji level. At the moment, he is proving to be too expensive and erratic though when he gets the ball in the right length, he is unplayable. Playing for Kashmir in Ranji Trophy, his opportunities are limited because Kashmir is not expected to go beyond the first round. This hampers his chances of playing against the teams that have better cricketers. Hence, his ability to develop quickly, is also affected.

Indian selectors must counsel Malik

Indian selectors must resist the urge to select him at the moment. They must think long term. They must think about the long term benefits that Umran can give the test side rather than the short term benefits that he may or may not provide the limited overs team. The selectors have often been over enthusiastic and have blooded youngsters before they are ready. In Umran’s case, it is better to be cautious but at the sametime, they must not be too cautious and destroy his career. In other words, by giving him an opportunity at this stage when he is still developing, there is a possibility that he will find international cricket to be too tough and that will have a direct impact on his bowling.

On the otherhand, if the selectors wait for too long, there is a chance that he may lose his pace and the urge to play for the nation. The best example for this is Abey Kuruvilla. Kuruvilla was a genuine quick when he first played for Bombay and by the time he got a chance to play for India, he had become a slow bowler. Hence, the selectors are in a catch-22 situation. They must choose the optimum period when Umran can be selected.

How to help Umran progress?

What can be done to fasten his progress? He must be selected as part of various Indian A teams and the second string Indian team that can tour certain countries where he will be in a position to improve his bowling. His fitness, diet and his bowling must be consistently monitored by the state association and by the BCCI. He can be given a contract that will free him from financial obligations and will help him to concentrate on his game. Ofcourse, playing the IPL, his financial part is already taken care of. Nonetheless, a formal offer from the board will provide some sort of security.

Michael Vaughan’s suggestion

Vaughan has suggested for Umran to play in the English county. If you think about it, it is actually a very good suggestion. He will get to play a lot of first class games and will experience different conditions. It will help in speeding up his development. Zaheer Khan became a much better bowler after he played in English County. So did Jason Gillespie and now, Marnus Labuschagne.

“Umran Malik will play for India very soon … If I was the @BCCI I would be sending him to play some County cricket this summer to help him develop first though,” tweeted Vaughan.

Conclusion to could Umran Malik make the grade?

Pace is a rare commodity. More so in Indian cricket. The one who possesses that rare skill must be completely protected. Umran Malik has it and it is important from Indian cricket’s perspective that he is preserved for future battles.