Umran Malik is a promising Indian fast bowler associated with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Malik has made significant strides in his cricketing career. Known for his raw pace and ability to generate bounce, Umran caught the attention of scouts with his performances in domestic cricket.
Umran Malik made his mark in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy, showcasing his wicket-taking abilities and impressing with his express pace. His consistent performances earned him a spot in the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad for the IPL, where he shares the dressing room with some of the best T20 cricketers globally.
As a part of the Sunrisers, Malik has the opportunity to learn from experienced players and international stars, refining his skills and gaining exposure at the highest level of T20 cricket. With a bright future ahead, Umran Malik’s journey in the IPL reflects the league’s commitment to nurturing young talents and providing them with a platform to shine on the global stage.
Umran Malik last featured for the Indian cricket team on a rather disheartening note during their West Indies tour, drawing criticism for his lacklustre performance. Muttiah Muralitharan, serving as the bowling coach for SunRisers Hyderabad, expressed his concerns, emphasizing that Malik needs to focus on more than just generating raw pace to evolve into a proficient bowler.
The young fast bowler had experienced a meteoric rise to prominence in the 2022 Indian Premier League, boasting 22 wickets and an impressive 13.41 strike rate. His intimidating speed and powerful deliveries instilled fear in opposition batters. However, the narrative took a downturn in the 2023 season, as Malik struggled to replicate his earlier success. In a mere eight games, he could only manage to secure five wickets, coupled with a concerning 10.85 economy rate. This dip in form has prompted calls for the promising bowler to refine his skills beyond sheer speed to reclaim his position as a formidable force in the cricketing arena.
He has not featured since then in Indian colours. Aakash Chopra expressed concern and curiosity about the sudden disappearance of Umran Malik from the cricket scene. Noting the swift rise of Malik, who was initially considered for the World Cup team and even joined the West Indies tour, Chopra highlighted the puzzling turn of events. The former India cricketer pointed out that within a short span of three months, Malik went from being in contention for the national team to not even securing a spot in India A.
Aakash Chopra Raises Questions On Umran Malik’s Absence From Team India
Chopra raised questions about the factors that led to this unexpected shift in Malik’s trajectory. He highlighted the peculiar sequence of events: first, the fast bowler earned a spot in the Indian team, received minimal playing opportunities, and then seemingly vanished from the cricketing landscape. Expressing the need for clarity on Malik’s situation, Chopra emphasized the importance of understanding the reasons behind his absence from both the national team and India A, urging for transparency in the matter.
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“Till some time back, Umran Malik was everywhere. We took him to the West Indies as well and it seemed like he could be in the World Cup team too but now he is not there in any of the teams. He doesn’t even get selected for India A,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“What happened within three months that a guy first gets selected for the Indian team, gets very minimum chances there, and then goes totally missing? We don’t even know where Umran Malik is. Why isn’t he there? We should know why this is happening,” he added.
