Boy From The Fast Lane: Ready to carry the baton of J&K fast bowling

[rkt.india]

Umar Nazir Mir, a young fast bowler from South Kashmir’s Pulwama town, is highly talked about by cricket pundits and many feel he is the bowler to watch out for in the future and has all the tools that a fast bowler should posses You ask Samiullah Beigh and Abid Nabi-speed merchants of Jammu and Kashmir or various cricket coaches in the Valley about who is future of fast bowling in the state, all of them have one name on their lips. They feel he is the one who can take forward the legacy of fast bowling in the state, for he has all the tools to be touted as bright prospect for J&K cricket. You hear all good things about his pace, out-swing, control and imposing height, important ingredients of fast bowlers. And, when you watch him bowl, you find no reason to disagree with the leading fast bowling duo of the state. Umar Nazir Mir lives up to the billing. For a young boy who is just 19, Umar catches your eye as soon as you see him in his delivery stride. His action smoother as it gets and laced with high point release to make ball bend both ways with an ability to crank it up in the range of 130-135 Kph. Born and bred in South Kashmir’s Pulwama town to a family that earns its living running a band saw mill, Umar has emerged one of the top quality fast bowlers in the age group cricket in Indian domestic cricket. For last three years, he has been cut above the rest from his Jammu and Kashmir teammates performing admirably well to zoom himself as the most consistent performer with the ball for his state U-19. To back his talent, he has numbers to make his admirers happy. Starting his U-19 career in 2010-11, Nazir emerged as the highest wicket taker for the state with 20 wickets in four day renowned Cooch Behar tournament and following season got just better earning him 25 wickets before capping it with a remarkable 34-highest U-19 wicket taker in Indian domestic cricket-this season. He has had close brushes with Indian U-19 team failing at the last huddle due to one reason or other. He was part of camps for Indian U-19 before 2012 World Cup and Asia Cup, but both occasions missed the bus. For Umar, bowling fast is an ultimate adventure. To realize his dream of making it big in cricket, he has backing of his family. His family, father in specific, has permitted him to have his own turf in their backyard where the big strappy young fast bowler keeps practicing hard in his endeavour to fine-tune his skills. Of late, he has been a frequent to the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association’s gym centre at its Srinagar Headquarters to improve his fitness and build his muscle strength. “My parents have always encouraged me to play cricket and given me all the support. My father didn’t mind allowing me to make turf in our own backyard,” says Umar who prefers to talk less. Umar is a product of school cricket. The 19-year old made his impression in school cricket and would be a regular in various inter-school and inter-district tournaments and his second to none talent fetched him accolades from cricket pundits. His first attempt to impress in trails organised by JKCA didn’t yield him much before his breakthrough moment came in 2010. He caught everyone’s eye in 2010 trials to get selected for J&K U-19 team. And, in that very year, Mansoor Ahmad, recommended him for one of the premier cricket clubs in Srinagar-Amateur Cricket Club-and that is where he found some helping hands to improve his game. His stint at the ACC proved to be profitable as he got to play with and against some quality players in Kashmir club cricket. Abid and Beigh passed on their experience and wisdom to the rookie. Umar is all praise for the fast bowling duo. “Abid baya, Sami Baya and various other senior players have been always into my ears advising me to do good things and indentifying the areas that I can work at,” says the lanky pacer. Umar’s debut season with the J&K U-19 team in Cooch Behar Trophy gave enough indication of his fast bowling prowess. He had a dream debut to his four-day U-19 career snaring seven wickets against Himachal Pradesh in the 2010-11 season. “I still remember the day when I took seven wickets on debut against Himachal Pradesh. It was memorable moment and the performance gave me confidence that I can play at the level,” says Umar of his dream debut. He went on to pocket 20 wickets in the season to go with eight in 50-over cricket. The fast bowler also participated in Karsan Ghavri monitored fast bowling camp in Mohali in 2011 and got a praise from the participants there. Umar didn’t sit on his laurel though, putting in hard yards to improve his fitness level. And, his hard work bore fruits with Umar getting 25 wickets in 2011-12 season and attracting Indian U-19 selectors’ attention. His wicket taking ability won him a place in probables chosen for U-19 Asia Cup 2012 and the Pulwama lad attended the preparatory camp in build up to the tourney. And, he could well have made it to the final squad but having no passport meant his name had to be dropped. “I am still ruing the fact that I didn’t have the passport at that time. Had I got one, I could well have played for Indian U-19s,” says Umar. The year 2012 turned out to be most fruitful. He was part of Rajasthan Royals’ Developmental squad where he got to meet and talk with the likes of Rahul Dravid, Shane Watson and Shaun Tait. His inclusion in the developmental squad was hastened by World Cricket Academy Head Coach Zubin Bharucha. Umar has sweet memories of his stay with the squad. “It was a learning experience for me. Watson praised my action and Tait told me how to change the pace in the slog overs. And, Dravid gave me tips how to use new ball,” says Umar of his experiences with Rajasthan Royals’ Developmental squad. The year just got better for the quickie when he was named in the 30-man probables for the U-19 World Cup and attended the camp at National Cricket Academy, Bangalore. Despite missing in the final 15, Umar got a good education about fast bowling and got to meet Indian fast bowling duo of Munaf Patel and Ishant Sharma. “Ishant Sharma told me strengthen my lower body as he said it is important for the fast bowlers to have strong lower body,” he says. The recently concluded Cooch Behar Trophy saw Umar emerge as the leading wicket taker with 34 wickets and participated in the preparatory camps of senior Ranji team. Beigh, the former J&K skipper, wants Umar to be given exposure and groomed properly. “He is a top talent and needs to be given exposure. I think he should have played for the senior J&K side. If he doesn’t make it to the final lineup, at least he should be part of the squad to learn the tricks of the trade,” says Beigh about Umar, who he feels, is the best fast bowler among the young lot. Umar’s U-19 coach Mubashir Hussain says he is got the all ingredients that a fast bowler needs to have. “He is a reservoir of talent and the right opportunity will open the gateway to the potential this lad has,” says Mubashir. As of now, Umar’s immediate goal is to break into the J&K’s senior team before he starts thinking about a step higher.

http://www.kashmirreader.com/04112013-ND-boy-from-the-fast-lane-13971.aspx

[nsareen]

V nice article. Hope to see him in some senior team sooner .

[rkt.india]

He recently outbowled his senior J&K pacers in a 4-day match against Maharashtra cricket association.

[King Tendulkar]

Will come on scene bowling 90mph Then may go for as few as bending back Then loads will moan, say pace is not important and stop behaving like pakis wanting fast bowlers(despite evidence that all other countries value pace i.e eng, aus, sa, windies etc) He will get axed cos bowling fast and might on a certain game go for a few(ignoring fact trundelrs also getting spanked) Will cut down on pace to conform and become trundler India will play aborad and we will moan why we dont have pacer like oppo and blame prasad

[FischerTal]

Kt dada is on full trolling mode because spray gun has been kicked out of ODIs :phehehe: Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[Sooda]

Weve been here before with Abid Nabi, hope this guy goes on to make it big

[rkt.india]

Weve been here before with Abid Nabi' date=' hope this guy goes on to make it big[/quote'] There is one more guy Ram Dayal who has already been doing well J&K, said to be a good prospect.

[King Tendulkar]

Any bowler with genuine pace should be fast tracked in to A tours etc So they can learn properly and developed in right way before some pants domestic coach gets hold of them

[moniker]

His action smoother as it gets and laced with high point release to make ball bend both ways with an ability to crank it up in the range of 130-135 Kph.

:hysterical: If he "cranks it up" to 130kmph wonder what the pace of his stock delivery is.

[rkt.india]

:hysterical: If he "cranks it up" to 130kmph wonder what the pace of his stock delivery is.

135 is not a bad pace for a tall 19 year old pacer. Bowlers of that age clocking 140 plus is not a norm. Steve Finn could barely clock 130K in U19 WC in 2008 when he was 19.

[Vilander]

:hysterical: If he "cranks it up" to 130kmph wonder what the pace of his stock delivery is.

he is a kid, under 19...

[rkt.india]

श्रीनगर [जागरण संवाददाता]। पिछले आइपीएल सीजन में पुणे वॉरियर्स की टीम ने जम्मू-कश्मीर के परवेज रसूल को उनके शानदार घरेलू क्रिकेट के प्रदर्शन व अभ्यास मैचों में धमाल के बाद आइपीएल में खेलने का मौका दिया था जिसके बाद वो अपने राज्य से ऐसा करने वाले पहले खिलाड़ी बने और बाद में टीम इंडिया में भी शामिल हुए। इस बार जम्मू-कश्मीर क्रिकेट टीम भले ही रणजी ट्रॉफी के सेमीफाइनल में नहीं पहुंच पाई, लेकिन इस बार भी उनकी टीम ने लाजवाब प्रदर्शन किया और उनके खिलाड़ी शानदार प्रदर्शन कर लोगों का ध्यान अपनी तरफ आकर्षित करने में सफल रहे। टीम के एक युवा खिलाड़ी की मेहनत तो यूं रंग लाई कि उसको दमदार खेल दिखाने के इनाम स्वरूप आइपीएल फ्रेंचाइजी मुंबई इंडियंस ने अपने साथ जुड़ने का न्योता दिया है। यह मौका मिला है पुलवामा जिले के छोटे से गांव मलिकपोरा निवासी गेंदबाज उमर नजीर मीर को। उमर ने अपने गांव के ही गली-कूचों में क्रिकेट सीखी। स्कूली स्तर पर बेहतरीन प्रदर्शन के बलबूते 2010 में जम्मू-कश्मीर क्रिकेट में अपनी जगह बनाई। अंडर-19 से अपने करियर का आरंभ करने वाले उमर ने इस सत्र में असम के खिलाफ खेले गए रणजी मैच के साथ प्रथम श्रेणी क्रिकेट में पदार्पण किया। कुल तीन रणजी मैच में 20 वर्षीय उमर ने सात विकेट चटकाए और अपनी मध्यम तेज गेंदबाजी से सभी को प्रभावित किया। मुंबई इंडियंस द्वारा उन्हें न्योता दिए जाने पर खुश उमर ने कहा, 'मुझे अभी ट्रायल बेसिस पर टीम में लिया जाएगा, लेकिन मैं टीम में अपनी जगह पक्की करने की पूरी कोशिश करूंगा। मेरा ख्वाब है कि मैं राष्ट्रीय क्रिकेट टीम में खेलूं। मुझे लगता है कि यह मेरे उस सपने को साकार करने के लिए पहली सीढ़ी है।'

http://www.jagran.com/cricket/headlines-hardwork-pays-umar-nazir-mir-gets-invitation-to-play-from-mumbai-indians-11009168.html

[Trichromatic]

:hysterical: If he "cranks it up" to 130kmph wonder what the pace of his stock delivery is.

There were hardly 3-4 bowlers who could clock 140+ in last U19 WC