Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra expresses concern about Umran Malik’s future in cricket. Despite being the fastest bowler in the history of Indian cricket, Umran was not included in the squad for 3-match series IND vs AFG T20Is, nor in the India A squad facing England Lions before the 5-match Test series against Ben Stokes’ side.
Chopra, in a discussion on his YouTube channel, raised questions about the absence of the speedster, whom he believed was a part of India’s plans, especially during the transition period in the white-ball formats of the game.
“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.
No Umran Malik in IND vs AFH T20Is:
Umran Malik’s last appearance for India was during the West Indies tour, where he did not perform well. Critics, including SunRisers Hyderabad bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan, have suggested that the young bowler needs to develop additional skills beyond raw pace to enhance his effectiveness on the field.
Umran gained widespread attention during the 2022 Indian Premier League, where he picked up 22 wickets at an impressive strike-rate of 13.41. Known for his raw pace and the ability to hit the deck hard, he troubled batsmen throughout the tournament. However, in the 2023 season, he only played 8 matches, managing to take 5 wickets at an economy rate of 10.85.
Chopra defended Umran, asserting that the bowler had limited opportunities with the Indian side, and his potential should not be overlooked.
“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,” questioned the former India cricketer.
