Umran Malik, one of the most promising pacers to come out of India's domestic ranks, enthralled all Indian cricket stakeholders with his unadulterated skill. It makes sense that the man who regularly bowled over 150 km/h raised a lot of expectations.
Although Umran made his debut for India in 2022, he was unable to maintain the kind of form that made him one of the Sunrisers Hyderabad's most feared bowlers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite taking 22 wickets in the previous season, Umran also talked candidly about warming the bench for SRH in the 2023 Indian Premier League.
Umran is prepared to play in the forthcoming Ranji Trophy season for Jammu and Kashmir, for which he has prepared by putting a lot of effort into improving his abilities and fitness in local competitions.
"I'm feeling good. I'm entering this Ranji season after a strong build-up through the Buchi Babu and local tournaments. I've taken good care of my body and trained well. Gradually, I've increased my bowling load to be match-ready," Malik told the Times of India.
The speedster claimed that there is no indication of nervousness despite the fact that this is Umran's first competitive match since his lone participation in the 2024 IPL season. "There's no nervousness, even though I'm returning after a year. The focus is on playing good cricket and doing what I do - taking wickets," he said.
Over the past year or two, injuries have prevented him from being on the ground for extended periods of time. However, Umran chose to work on himself in order to become a stronger, better performer rather than sulking over what fate had in store for him.
"Injuries are part of a fast bowler's life. Last year, I got injured for the first time and missed the entire season. But that break taught me a lot about how to manage my body. That phase is over now, and my body feels much better," Malik said.
"I've done everything a fast bowler needs to do. I've trained hard - every day, every morning, every evening. Because of that, my body feels stronger, and I'm looking forward to playing as much cricket as possible," he added.
Umran also talked about working with Abhishek Nayar, the former assistant coach for India, who also assisted Rohit Sharma in getting back in shape and losing roughly 10 kg before the Australia series.
"Working with him has helped. He keeps players in the right frame of mind. The way he breaks things down helps you focus on what really matters," Malik said.
Umran only played eight games in the 2023 season after taking 22 wickets in 14 games during the IPL 2022 campaign. He only participated in one game during the 2024 season.
"There was disappointment. One season I take 22 wickets, and the next I'm sitting on the bench. But I tried to stay motivated," said Malik.
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