Srinagar: Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has suggested Team India management to do it like what Pakistan cricket team used to do with 90kmph fast bowlers, regarding Umran Malik.
The former cricketer turned commentator has backed J&K pacer Umran Malik to be fast tracked into Test team.
Speaking on News24, Manjrekar said “I believe if you have to pick Umran, give him a chance in Test cricket because we saw when Mark Wood played the last Ashes Test, a guy who can bowl 90 miles per hour, his specialty is that the tail-enders don’t stay against him for long.”
Manjrekar gave example of Mark Wood who had success against Australian team in Headingley
“So if you have to see Umran Malik, instead of white-ball cricket, if you have a Test series that is not that high-profile, give him a chance there, three-four over spells. So he will be an X-factor in our bowling,” said Manjrekar.
“When you have a lot of pace, there is a lot of pressure in white-ball cricket, you have to bowl absolutely accurately, if the ball goes even slightly here and there, you can prove expensive and then the captain does not gamble that much.”
Malik has been an expensive bowler in his international career as well, going above 10rpo in his 8 T20 matches and over a run-a-ball in his 8 ODI matches.
“This is how Pakistan used to think earlier, when they had young bowlers who bowled 90 miles an hour, they fast-tracked them straightaway into Test cricket and not much in white-ball cricket,” concluded the former opener.