Umran Malik could be the X-Factor India need at the T20 World Cup

For much of the Indian Premier League, people raved about what Umran Malik was bringing to the fore. He was prone to being expensive on the odd occasion but almost everyone was impressed with the pace he was being able to generate. It led to a T20I debut against Ireland at Dublin, and was quickly followed by another appearance against England at Trent Bridge.

In all of those outings, though, he conceded more runs than what was deemed ideal. His T20I economy rate, as things stand, is 12.44. His average of 56 has also left plenty to be desired, especially considering the embarrassment of riches India have in the pace-bowling department.

So, from a pure statistical standpoint, Umran should not even be a part of this conversation. The likes of Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj and even Shardul Thakur have much more pedigree than the 22-year-old. They have also done well whenever called upon by India.

Circumstances, though, change when a T20 World Cup is on the horizon. And they most certainly change when your pace spearhead is expected to miss the entirety of the tournament, with no guarantee that he will be a constant part of India’s T20I plans going forward (because of the need to manage his workload). Umran, as many have already argued, is very raw and has numerous rough edges to smoothen out. There is truth to that perception too. But that, as ridiculous as it might sound, is just what should prompt India to include him for the T20 World Cup.

Umran Malik could bring something different to India

Let’s get one thing straight. There is no feeling that rivals sheer, unadulterated and unfiltered pace. This, however, is not just about how those on the outside feel. There is plenty of merit for Umran to be a part of India’s T20I squad. Not just because where the T20 World Cup is going to be played, but also because he is so different from all the other bowlers slated to travel to Australia.

Apart from Shami, who is also only a stand-by, none of the bowlers can clock speeds in excess of 140. Arshdeep can bowl the odd ball over 140 but he normally operates in the 133-140 km/hr range. Siraj, who can also crank it up, is not part of the T20 World Cup squad and last played a T20I in February. Umran, on the other hand, has made a living bowling fast. And, he has also played a T20I much more recently than Shami and Siraj.

Jasprit Bumrah, for those unaware, is also capable of operating in the 140 km/hr range, and has a tendency to regularly hurry batters into their strokes. Umran is nowhere close to Bumrah’s genius right now. But the latter aspect, of hurrying batters and forcing them to make decisions that tad bit quicker, is where he can comfortably compare with the Mumbai Indians speedster. If anything, Umran is brisker and can use the short ball to greater effect.

Most of the teams that have automatically qualified for the Super 12 stage have a tearaway quick in their ranks. Pakistan have Haris Rauf. South Africa have Anrich Nortje. Australia have Mitchell Starc. New Zealand have Lockie Ferguson. England have Mark Wood. And even Sri Lanka have Dushmantha Chameera. India, at the moment, don’t have anyone in their squad who can reprise this role – this role of banging the ball into the track and not allowing batters to hit down the ground. The bigger ground dimensions in Australia will also help Umran, considering batters will need to absolutely nail their flat-batted strokes to clear the fence.

The other tilting scale is that Umran, because of his pace, can pick up wickets in a bunch. During the IPL, that came to the fore against the Gujarat Titans, where he snapped up a five-wicket haul in no time. The batters he dismissed in that spell – Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha.

Four of them have played international cricket in the recent past, with Miller and Pandya being two of the best hitters of fast-bowling on the planet. The Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer wreaked that kind of havoc at the Wankhede Stadium. Imagine what he might be able to do at Perth, or at the Gabba.

That said, there is the obvious counter-argument that he leaks more runs than most of his other competitors. There is nothing wrong in that assessment either. With almost all of India’s bowlers being cut out from the same cloth, however, Umran could be the X-Factor they are crying out for.

He is nowhere near Bumrah at present, in terms of pedigree. Replacing Bumrah anyway is not easy, considering there aren’t many like-for-like options in the world, let alone in India. So, maybe India might be better served trying to replicate the assets he brought to the fore. As far as bowling quick and picking up wickets is concerned, Umran might be their best bet. Not just because that is where he revels but also because the likes of Arshdeep and Bhuvneshwar can hold their own at the start and despite recent troubles, be adept at the death.

During the IPL, opinion on Umran was divided. Some thought he had to be a part of the Indian team. Others felt he was too raw. Not a lot has changed since then. He continues polarizing opinion and notions. But because he is so unpredictable, the need for his services, though, has never seemed greater. Again, it might not work. If it does, it will take India a step closer to the T20 World Cup crown they have been chasing post 2007.