Speed sensation Umran Malik burst onto the scene as a pace sensation in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) with Sunrisers Hyderabad. His impressive performances earned him a maiden call-up to the Indian national team in the shortest format immediately after the IPL season. However, his journey with the national team has been marked by inconsistent performances and injuries, preventing him from securing a permanent spot in the side.
Umran's struggles continued in the most recent IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite the team's strong run to the tournament final, the young pacer from Jammu & Kashmir found himself largely on the sidelines, playing only one match throughout the season. In that game, he bowled just one over, conceding 15 runs and not getting a chance to complete his full quota of overs.
In an interview with Indian Express, Umran reflected on his challenging season, noting 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 was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
Recommended For You
"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,” Umran added.
A challenge for Umran throughout his career has been managing his economy rate. Despite his remarkable ability to consistently clock speeds of 150kph and above during the 2022 and 2023 IPL seasons, his control often fell short, leading to expensive spells.
India's former bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, highlighted this issue in an earlier interview with Indian Express. Mhambrey, who stepped down after India's T20 World Cup victory in June earlier this year, emphasized that Umran's lack of control was a significant concern. He noted that this inconsistency in line and length eventually led to Indian captain Rohit Sharma losing faith in the young pacer, which affected Umran's chances of securing a regular spot in the national team.
“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,” Umran said.