Umran Malik is not ready for International cricket as of now – Aakash Chopra

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra feels Umran Malik is not ready for International cricket as of now. The renowned commentator said that the fast bowler from Jammu and Kashmir hasn’t played a lot of cricket in the domestic circuit and thus he is still raw.

The gun fast bowler had impressed one and all with his express pace as he bowled consistently above 145 kmph while playing for SunRisers Hyderabad in IPL 2022. The pacer scalped 22 wickets in 14 matches for Orange Army at an average of 20.18 and an economy rate of 9.01.

Thus, after his impressive show in the IPL, he received his maiden call-up in the five-match T20I series against South Africa but didn’t get a chance to make his debut. Malik was retained in the T20I squad for the two-match series against Ireland and finally got an opportunity to make his debut.

But he conceded 14 runs in the solitary over he bowled in a truncated 12-over per side match against the Irish team. Malik then had to defend 17 runs against Ireland in the second T20I and he was able to held his nerve in the end despite conceding a couple of boundaries early in the over.

Subsequently, Malik was taken for 56 runs in his quota of four overs against Egland in the third T20I at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

There is no doubt that Malik still has a lot to learn and he is going to get better with experience. The fast bowler definitely has the pace under his repertoire and he will look to keep improving at the top level.

“No doubt, he has the pace. But what I feel is that Umran Malik is not ready for international cricket as of now. It is very simple, he needs time. He hasn’t played a lot of cricket and so he is still raw,” said Chopra on his YouTube Channel.

Malik has so far played only three first-class matches, one List A match and a total of 25 T20 matches. Ergo, he is quite inexperienced but he is expected to get better with time.