Birthday special: Umran Malik – India’s next big thing

From being nowhere near India’s international setup to making his dream debut for his country at the young age of 22, Umran Malik entered the world of cricket in style. Umran Malik came under the spotlight during the IPL 2022, where he represented the Sunrisers Hyderabad. It was a memorable season for the 22-year-old, as his consistent performances at the cash-rich event landed him a deal with the Indian international team.

Malik has seen a lot of struggles in his life. His father, a fruit and vegetable vendor in Jammu and Kashmir, did all he could to help his son pursue his dream of playing cricket at a top level. Unlike other cricketers, Malik’s journey of cricket started a little late, but the young chap proved to be a quick learner, and thus went on to become a pace sensation in the world.

Malik grabbed the spotlight when he clocked a delivery at 150+ kmph during the IPL. And while people thought it was a one-off, Malik proved the critics wrong and shut the trolls by consistently bowling over 150 kmph at the tournament. That is what made him stand out from the rest of the squad. Training under former South African pacer Dale Steyn at the SRH camp worked as brownie points for the young speedster.

After impressing literally everyone at the IPL 2022, Malik got a place in India’s squad against Ireland and made his debut under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, when a second-string Indian side toured the Irish countryside for a two-match T20I series. Malik faced a tough time during the tour as the Irish batters hit him for some big runs, but he also managed to scalp his maiden international wicket.

However, Malik has played only three T20Is for India, while he is yet to make his debut in the other two formats of the game. But he has been performing brilliantly on the domestic front. His records in the T20s and List A games have been jaw-dropping. As he turns 23, he will be hoping to represent his country in more and more international games, and improve his game with every opportunity.

Since he has not received much game time in the international setup, he is yet to showcase his best side to the world. It was visible during the IPL that Malik can wreak havoc with the ball in the shorter format of the game. As a result, the Indian fans also eagerly wait to see what surprises the youngster holds in the bag.