Umran Malik has received some crucial advice from the legendary Brian Lara, who says that the 23-year-old pacer should not rely solely on his tearaway pace. Lara advised the aspiring pacer to study some of the world’s greatest pacers and how they developed through time to leave their imprint at the top level.
Over the past two years, Brian Lara has worked alongside Umran Malik at Sunrisers Hyderabad, guiding his development in the Indian Premier League. In 2021, Umran earned his IPL debut for SRH but his breakthrough season came in the following season as he took 22 wickets in 14 games and pushed batsmen with his raw pace.
He is very young and has got a lot of years ahead of him: Brian Lara
Umran Malik’s failure to secure a berth in the team has been a defining characteristic of his ODI career. He played three ODIs in 2023, all in January, before the West Indies series, but he did not appear in any of the ODIs against Australia.
Mixed reactions greeted him upon his return to the Indian ODI squad in July 2023 for the series versus West Indies. Although he had earlier recorded a dismissal against New Zealand and grabbed five wickets in two games against Sri Lanka, the way he performed in the West Indies series was not exactly remarkable. He just bowled three overs in the opening ODI and gave up 17 runs without picking up a wicket. His performance throughout the white-ball format raised questions due to its lacklustre nature.
Brian Lara spoke on a show called Wake up Sorabh as he discussed the ability to have variations in his skillset. He said, “He 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.”
Fans react to Brian Lara backing Umran Malik to succeed and learn new skills in international cricket:
Brian Lara said, "Umran Malik will be a sensation, but he'll have to learn that fast bowling doesn't trouble the best players in the world. You have to have the ability to do something with the ball". (Sorabh Pant YT). pic.twitter.com/DiNZ1dZs0E
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 10, 2023
He hadn't been given fair chance compare to last year's IPL.. He played few matches where Markaram bowled him in side the power play, which isn't his strength… Yes but improvement is needed and he will only learn by playing more games
— Firoz Mansoori (@FerozMansoori) August 10, 2023
Finally you are realizing pace isnt every thing
— Waleed Qayyum (@WaleedQayyum11) August 11, 2023
For learning that you have to play him, not bench him like you did all last season.
— Mukul Sharma (@Mukul_SkuD) August 10, 2023
He is not even a sensation in IPL forget international cricket
— Sriram Deshpande (@SriramDeshpand2) August 10, 2023
He's a damn fraud, Can't trust him ?
— Virat Kohli (Parody) (@ViratkohliAOC) August 10, 2023
Line and length > pace
— Gauti aka father of Dhobi (@FOOTBALLXFEVER) August 10, 2023
its about where you bowl, fast bowling only works if its bowled in right areas.
— Honey (@1hsharma) August 10, 2023
What about bowling with that pace in a test match?
— Sai (@Sai133157) August 11, 2023
More chances to Umran should be given in future.
— Marklal Gada (@Markfeey) August 10, 2023
