'Umran Malik Still Needs Time To Mature', Says Indian Pacer Mohammad Shami

With Umran Malik going wicketless in his last three matches, critics have been questioning whether the young Jammu pacer should be fast-tracked into the Indian team or not.

Sunrisers Hyderabad's young tearaway pacer Umran Malik has excited everyone in IPL 2022 with his raw pace, touching the 150kmph consistently while taking 15 wickets in first eight matches, including an enthralling five-wicket haul against Gujarat Titans.

But with Malik going wicketless in his last three matches, critics have been questioning whether the young Jammu pacer should be fast-tracked into the Indian team or not. Now, Gujarat's pace spearhead Mohammed Shami has said that Malik will need "some more time" to mature as a pacer.

"I admit that pace is there but personally speaking, I am not a huge fan of pace. I believe if you can bowl 140kmph and move the ball both ways as well as reverse (swing), then it's enough to (trouble) the batters. He has incredible pace but he still needs some more time to mature in my opinion as apart from pace, we also have to apply ourselves," said Shami in a virtual media interaction organised by the franchise on Friday.

Apart from Malik, Lucknow Super Giants' left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan has captured the imagination of cricket fans, with his ability to swing the new ball and be economical while picking ten wickets in six matches. Shami, who spent time training alongside Mohsin during the lockdown at his farmhouse, said the youngster needs to focus more and stick to a routine which will have to be created as early as possible.

"Mohsin Khan has practised with me. He's young and strong but he will have to focus well like you have to create a gameplan and stick to a routine physically as well as mentally. Whatever the setup is needed has to be done right now as if you carry these things from now onwards, it will give you great use at one point."

"When we were playing, there was no one playing amongst us and didn't know about the plays of top-level cricket. But for today's young boys, there are a lot of options. That's why I say that pacers coming in last few matches like Mohsin, Umran or other new boys, they are performing very well with lots of confidence. I just hope that in coming times, they will do very well for the country."

In Gujarat, young left-arm pacer Yash Dayal has been impressive in the five matches he has turned out, taking nine wickets. "He (Yash Dayal) is very young and has got good skill in swinging ball both ways. I haven't got much time to work alongside him but whatever I have seen of him, he's good in swinging the ball both ways, which makes a left-arm seamer very impactful," opined Shami about Dayal.

In IPL 2022, the emergence of young Indian pace talent has put the spotlight on the fast bowling talent in the country grabbing the spotlight, a sight which has impressed Shami. But at the same time, the senior pacer has called for making the young pacers play in as many matches as possible to gain experience for excelling in future.

"For any country when you see youngsters with talent bowl well with good swing and pace, then your confidence gets high as a selector, coach or team. When you say that you have talent and pace, there is never a question mark according to me. It brings a certain clarity over who will be the best for our country."

"But the most important work is on gaining experience by making them play more and more matches while keeping them more in the company of seniors. Getting that experience is very important."

"In the IPL, a lot of fast bowlers have emerged. It is heartening to see the emergence of young pacers as the future of our country will be in their hands, so it will be important for them to be on the right track and have good training to move forward in their career."