'He is a superstar in the making': Brett Lee backs Umran Malik for India Test debut; shares special advice for Bumrah

[vvvslaxman]

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/brett-lee-backs-umran-malik-for-india-test-debut-shares-special-advice-for-jasprit-bumrah-he-is-a-superstar-in-the-making-101678662875979.html

 

Australia pace legend Brett Lee feels Umran should be fast-tracked into the Jasprit Bumrah-less Test attack in the next World Test Championship cycle for India.

 

Umran Malik left fans on the edge of the seat with his raw pace that left batters anxious and experts of the game excited during the last IPL season. The young sensation from Jammu and Kashmir had picked 22 wickets in 14 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad with a five-wicket haul while also recording the fastest ever ball in IPL history. Umran was soon roped into the Indian T20I side and later made his debut in the ODIs as well. And although he failed to crack into the T20 World Cup side, Australia pace legend Brett Lee feels Umran should be fast-tracked into the Jasprit Bumrah-less Test attack in the next World Test Championship cycle for India.

Umran has only shown glimpses of his true talent in international cricket, having made his debut in June. He has so far picked 13 and 11 wickets respectively in the two white-ball formats where he played eight matches apiece. The 23-year-old is yet to be in the reckoning for Test debut. He had made his debut in red-ball cricket for India A in the 2021 South Africa tour.

Lee, in reply to a query made by Hindustan Times on whether India should look to fast-track Umran into the Test set-up, agreed completely while being in full of praise for the youngster.

 

"Why not? He is good enough in my opinion. He has got good pace, got nice action and runs in well with a beautiful approach. So yes he can be injected," he said on the sidelines of Legends League Cricket in Doha.

Lee later added saying, “He is a superstar in the making”.

The former Aussie cricketer also had a special advice for Jasprit Bumrah, who is likely to remain out of action till the end of WTC final in June owing to his struggle with back injury. Admitting that Bumrah's absence does leave a big gap in the Indian attack, which he clarified it being a "compliment" for the India star, Lee feels that the 29-year-old has to make some technical changes in his bowling routine upon returning to the sport.

"I wouldn't say it makes it weak. I would definitely say that it leaves a whole in there. And I mean this as a compliment because he is that good. Bumrah has got a wonderful record. Unfortunately for him, he has had that worrying back issue for quite sometime now. The only advice I would say is that with his run up being so short, he has to find that pace and power out of his action where I think, maybe now in due course he might extend his run up to allow that pressure to be taken of his back," he said.

Bumrah has been out of action since September last year, following which he had missed the T20 World Cup, and it was recently reported that he underwent a surgery in New Zealand.

[vvvslaxman]

I know he is yet to prove in domestic. But with respect to express pace you cannot "wait" as their career is going to be very short. If not Tests he should play as many T20s/ODIs as possible. The way he jolted a seasoned campaigner like Shakib on docile Bangla surfaces gave us a lot of hope.

[MK55]

I can only imagine what he’d do in places like South Africa. He can get it upto 155 when he’s in rhythm. Surely can replace Umesh who has done well in India but I guess it’s time now. 

[tweaker]

Indian team management may select even Mukesh Kumar before him,but they wont fast track him.The team management has wasted many young cricketers ,trying to protect some players 

[Grand_Design]

Not a Test bowler imo. 

[Suhaan]

56 minutes ago, tweaker said:

Indian team management may select even Mukesh Kumar before him,but they wont fast track him.The team management has wasted many young cricketers ,trying to protect some players 

Chewt fans deserve this

[Adamant]

Not a test bowler at this stage. 

 

This is coming from Brett le who averaged 32 in tests despite having McWarne supporting him, so I can understand. 

[singhvivek141]

Not sure if Umran is a Test bowler or now, but one thing it's clear that we does need fresh pair of legs in fast bowling.
Umesh Yadav and Shami have grown old and are barely touching 140's, they won't sustain for long. Bumrah and Siraj are the ones who're expected to play next 4-5 years provided they sustain their fitness and form.

 

We haven't selected any <25 year old fast bowler in Tests since ages, Bumrah was the last one who was backed and he served us quite well.

Nowadays, all we see is the same domestic trundlers who're now expert in bullying the domestic batters courtesy of their experience, but have no skill to elevate themselves at international level.

 

 

[Malcolm Merlyn]

Indian team management will play random Kumars but won't give a youngster chance.

 

The first come first serve mentality is deeply ingrained in the system and its further enhanced by sycophancy.

 

Mayank Agarwal was doing great in domestics yet they didn't pick him and kept playing a journeyman like Murali Vijay. 

 

Why they kept picking Dhawan? No one knows?

 

Why Ashwin keeps coming into the team right before a T20 WC?

 

Why was BK being selected continuously?

 

Now watch a rank avg trundler like Shardul Thakur who is 31 keep a 23 year old express bowler like Umran out.

 

Reason: Thakur can bat a bit. 

 

But can he bowl in white ball cricket?

 

 

[Suhaan]

2 hours ago, Malcolm Merlyn said:

Shardul Thakur who is 31 keep a 23 year old express bowler like Umran out.

Shardul Thakur and Mukesh Kumar were readymade test material since they set foot on cricket ground

 

But Umran isn't ready yet,Siraj wasn't ready in his early 20 untill the lucky debut he got in Aus last time,rest is history,now same out of sorts cricket experts have recognised him best after Bumrah

 

I know they will come up with first Umran needs to play in A tours ,fc,mc ,bc , Jupiter Shield cricket and average 1.000000001 with the ball in atleast 23 seasons before getting opportunity to rub shoulders with Koolie,disCount and others

[express bowling]

9 hours ago, Malcolm Merlyn said:

Indian team management will play random Kumars but won't give a youngster chance.

 

The first come first serve mentality is deeply ingrained in the system and its further enhanced by sycophancy.

 

Mayank Agarwal was doing great in domestics yet they didn't pick him and kept playing a journeyman like Murali Vijay. 

 

Why they kept picking Dhawan? No one knows?

 

Why Ashwin keeps coming into the team right before a T20 WC?

 

Why was BK being selected continuously?

 

Now watch a rank avg trundler like Shardul Thakur who is 31 keep a 23 year old express bowler like Umran out.

 

Reason: Thakur can bat a bit. 

 

But can he bowl in white ball cricket?

 

 

 

6 hours ago, Suhaan said:

Shardul Thakur and Mukesh Kumar were readymade test material since they set foot on cricket ground

 

But Umran isn't ready yet,Siraj wasn't ready in his early 20 untill the lucky debut he got in Aus last time,rest is history,now same out of sorts cricket experts have recognised him best after Bumrah

 

I know they will come up with first Umran needs to play in A tours ,fc,mc ,bc , Jupiter Shield cricket and average 1.000000001 with the ball in atleast 23 seasons before getting opportunity to rub shoulders with Koolie,disCount and others

 

 

The hate against express pacers like Umran Malik, among almost all Indian commentators, at international or domestic level, is so apparent that I really have my doubts regarding how far he will go. This is because the same mindset is likely to be there among the selectors snd TM too. (  Gavaskar, Ganguly, Harbhajan etc. are big exceptions though )

 

Indian ex-players are elated when Umran gets hit for a 4 ... they waste no time in pointing out that it is because of his high pace. But they keep quiet when trundlers get hit for a series of 4s and 6s. 

 

There is similar hatred against wrist spinners who turn the ball significantly.

 

Indian cricket is about line and length finger spinners or darters and medium pacers. That's what they like and that's what they will promote. 

 

For a long time there was hatred against stroke players too. But that changed after 2000 or thereabouts. 

Edited March 16, 2023 by express bowling

[Suhaan]

3 minutes ago, express bowling said:

 

 

 

The hate against express pacers like Umran Malik, among almost all Indian commentators, at international or domestic level, is so apparent that I really doubt how far he will go. This is because the same mindset is likely to be there among the selectors snd TM too. (  Gavaskar, Ganguly, Harbhajan are big exceptions though )

 

Indian ex-players are elated when Umran gets hit for a 4 ... they waste no time in pointing out that it is because if his high pace. But they keep quiet when trundlers get hit for a series of 4s and 6s. 

 

There is similar hatred against wrist spinners who turn the ball significantly.

 

Indian cricket is about line and length finger spinners or darters and medium pacers. That's what they like and that's what they will promote. 

 

For a long time there was hatred against stroke players too. But that changed after 2000 or thereabouts. 

Slowly but gradually we are hitting rock bottom of mediocrity,it can't be sustained for long

 

The trophy drought and pulling of wins in useless bilaterals against 3rd xis isn't pleasing the masses anymore, something is about to happen,may take a while

 

I have kept myself away from these useless bilaterals  for quite sometime now, didn't feel any excitement to watch a single over/spell/ innings from this latest test series

 

What got me excited ,answer lies in presence of Pant,good hostile pace bowling from Bumrah,Sundar's resilience etc but none was available unfortunately , really wanted atleast an Umran to catalyse the excitement,there was no harm

[Chakdephatte]

Doesn't pasting an entire article hurt a forum's SEO ratings @Malcolm Merlyn I know the in case of most websites it does, not sure about Public platforms. 

[Suhaan]

g@nd00s can't even decipher that fast bowlers are given early debut world over, especially the ones who can bowl at pace,as pace fades away quickly,nations encash it till it lasts but we are different,we believe in mediocrity and it's consistency

[StraightDrive26]

Umran isn't a Test bowler yet. Let him play white ball cricket at the moment. Just because he bowls quick we cannot pick him for Tests. Bowling 4-10 overs in Spells isn't the same as bowling 15 overs in a day in Tests. Let him play for a while and gain some experience before considering him for Tests. There are other bowlers like Prasidh Krishna who probably should make it to the Test side ahead of Umran. 

[AKane]

18 hours ago, express bowling said:

 

Indian cricket is about line and length finger spinners or darters and medium pacers. That's what they like and that's what they will promote. 

 

For a long time there was hatred against stroke players too. But that changed after 2000 or thereabouts. 

 

The country dislikes anyone going outside the mould in anything. A student who refuses to mug up for exams is ridiculed by entire society. A student in college going outside the curriculum will get yanked back by the professors. It was horrible in 60s, 70s, 80s. The whole country stagnated.

 

We think differently from other societies and we just prefer mediocrity I guess. The generation that turned young around independence was the worst. This generation is different and will turn out better - but it will be a while till us oldies loosen our grip.

Edited March 17, 2023 by AKane

[Malcolm Merlyn]

As expected from a brainless team management. Shardul"Three Format" Thakur plays ahead of Umran.

[Stuge]

11 minutes ago, Malcolm Merlyn said:

As expected from a brainless team management. Shardul"Three Format" Thakur plays ahead of Umran.

Noted 

[Malcolm Merlyn]

34 minutes ago, Stuge said:

Noted 

 

Haan tu yahi kar notepad.

[Sooda]

1 hour ago, Malcolm Merlyn said:

As expected from a brainless team management. Shardul"Three Format" Thakur plays ahead of Umran.

It is not a like for like comparison: I dont like Thakur in LOIs would prefer Chahar if fit, but Thakur  is seen as an all rounder he is there for his batting too and probably (hopefully!) not expected to bowl a full quota. If Umran can bat itd be a no brainer. I feel the bowling is light with Hardik, Jadeja and Shardul none should be bowling a full quota of 10 not good enough in ODIs.

 

Also Murali Vijay is no journey man, guy was a top opener and has scored important runs away from home. Mayank was given chances in SA and at home vs SL and he did not make the most of it.

 

 

On 3/16/2023 at 7:34 AM, express bowling said:

 

 

 

The hate against express pacers like Umran Malik, among almost all Indian commentators, at international or domestic level, is so apparent that I really have my doubts regarding how far he will go. This is because the same mindset is likely to be there among the selectors snd TM too. (  Gavaskar, Ganguly, Harbhajan etc. are big exceptions though )

 

Indian ex-players are elated when Umran gets hit for a 4 ... they waste no time in pointing out that it is because of his high pace. But they keep quiet when trundlers get hit for a series of 4s and 6s. 

 

There is similar hatred against wrist spinners who turn the ball significantly.

 

Indian cricket is about line and length finger spinners or darters and medium pacers. That's what they like and that's what they will promote. 

 

For a long time there was hatred against stroke players too. But that changed after 2000 or thereabouts. 

I think this criticism is OTT

For all the flak Dravid and other management get for not backing out and out pacemen etc- Umran was in fact fastracked on the back of one (?) IPL effectively , straight into our LOI set up. I would have liked him in the T20 WC squad but we need to trust Dravid judgement that he was not ready... and our pacemen did well enough, the grim Semifinal aside... to justify that decision.

Umran has played very little FC and List A cricket yet is in ODI and India A FC team, clearly they do view him as someone to invest time into before he is ready for test cricket. I remember India A coach saying he was not quite at the right level after he played for them maybe vs NZ... that's okay he is young needs time, but is being given the chances to develop. And btw our Pace attack is good- I would not drop Siraj or Shami for him in tests. Even Umesh at home for now.

 

Kuldeep Sen, Yash Dayal, Pradish all these guys have been called up to LOIs and would be playing if not injured. Going back years Munaf Patel was fast tracked because he started off as a genuine "quick"

 

Such is the keen ness to groom wrist spinners that Markande was called up to ROI squad despite an ordinary FC season. Bishnoi and Chahar are not considered good enough for FC teams, if they were , of course they would be playing. Kuldeep was given a long run, and is back as soon as he rediscovered his mojo. 

 

And the idea that there was "hatred against stroke players" - in fact the opposite is true , I remember guys like Amay Khurasiya, Pankaj Dharmani, Sujith Sumasunder , Jai Prakash Yadav playing ODIs in the 90's all were aggressive stroke players at state level