West Indies legend Brian Lara has said that Umran Malik will have to learn that fast bowling really does not trouble the best players in the world. Malik has raw pace under his arsenal but still lacks the accurate line and length.
The fast bowler from Jammu and Kashmir had impressed in IPL 2022 while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad as he scalped 22 wickets in 14 matches but could not replicate the same success in 2023.
Meanwhile, in the first ODI against the West Indies, Malik returned with figures of 0-17 in the three overs he bowled. The gun fast bowler once again went wicketless in the second game and conceded 27 runs in his three overs. He was then left out of the final XI for the deciding ODI of the series.
Malik has scalped 13 wickets in 10 ODI matches at an average of 30.69 and an economy rate of 6.54. The youngster is part of the T20I squad against the Windies but hasn’t received his chance in the first three matches. Malik has taken 11 wickets in eight T20Is but has a high economy rate of 10.49.
Meanwhile, Brian Lara has observed Malik from close quarters as the head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2023.
Speaking on the YouTube channel ‘Wake Up With Sorabh’, Brian Lara explained: “He (Umran Malik) will be a sensation, but very quickly he will have to learn that fast bowling really does not trouble the best players in the world. You have to have the ability to do something with the ball, be sensible, and maybe understand times when you have to trickle back or understand the times when you have to up the tempo. He is very young and has got a lot of years ahead of him.”
Lara feels Malik could go down as one of the best fast bowlers produced by India if he continues to work with SRH bowling coach Dale Steyn.
“We have had so many different examples. Wasim Akram was raw pace, Malcolm Marshall had destructive pace, and Michael Holding. But they all know that at some point in time, they had to come with a lot more tricks than just being able to bowl fast. If he (Umran Malik) works with Dale Steyn, he could definitely be one of the best India could produce.”
Malik still has a lot to learn at the top level and he is expected to get better with experience.
