'Central contract straightway' - Shastri backs uncapped Indian speedster to succeed at Test level

Ravi Shastri was in all praise for a young Indian speedster for his aggressive and impactful bowling at the ongoing IPL 2022, and wants him to be considered for an international call-up.

 By CX Staff Writer May 19, 2022, 13:19 IST
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The right-arm quick is currently the fourth highest wicket-taker in IPL 2022, with 21 wickets at 20 from 13 games.

The IPL 2022 has once again seen young Indian fast bowlers blossom, adding further depth in that aspect. While Umesh Yadav has rediscovered his best with the white ball, delivering crucial blows for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Harshal Patel, T Natarajan, Avesh Khan and Arshdeep Singh have continued to create impactful performances for their respective sides. Meanwhile, youngsters Mukesh Choudhary and Mohsin Khan too, have made their presence felt with fine control with their left-arm seam.

However, stealing the limelight has been Jammu and Sunrisers Hyderabad speedster Umran Malik, who has rattled top batters with his raw pace. Having clocked the fastest ball of the season at 157 kmph, Umran now has 21 wickets at 20, which puts him fourth in the Purple Cap race.

He returned 3/23 against the Mumbai Indians on Tuesday, helping SRH seal a narrow three-run win to keep their playoffs hopes alive. His sizzling form has prompted former India head coach Ravi Shastri to suggest that he be given a central contract with immediate effect.

"Central contract straightway," Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo's ‘T20 Time Out’. "And keep him in the mix, don't let him float around. Keep him in the mix with the main players and then he learns by seeing (and) being around with the Shamis and the Bumrahs, and see the way they train, see the way they manage their workload. Of course, there'll be the team management there, support staff that'll help him do that, but don't let him stray at the moment. Get him into the mix, and keep him there and groom him."

Umran’s finest hour came against the Gujarat Lions three weeks ago, when he bounced out Hardik Pandya and castled each of Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha, David Miller and Abhinav Manohar in a fiery spell of 4/25. Lack of control thereafter resulted in him conceding 125 runs from 10 overs over the next three games, before he redeemed himself with back-to-back three-fors.


Shastri believes that the 22-year-old will only get better with experience, and that he shouldn’t compromise with speed.

"He'll get better and better," Shastri said. "You see his bowling once he takes a wicket. Look at the lines he starts bowling as opposed to when he has not got a wicket - that's when he is trying everything, his lines are all over the place. You don't want him to cut down on pace. The last thing you would tell him looking for control, cut down on pace. What you want him to do is get his lines right: if he can bowl that stump line, attack the stumps on a constant basis, varying his lengths, he will trouble him. 

“If he gets a wicket and a new guy comes in, he can really rattle him because he has got the pace, he can keep the bloke on his toes, but it's that line - if he gets into that channel, without cutting his pace it will make a huge difference."

Sunrisers will play Punjab Kings in their final league encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, May 22.


 

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