IND vs SA 2022 | Always tell Umran Malik not to reduce pace at all, reveals Irfan Pathan

06/08/2022

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Irfan Pathan has revealed that he always tells Umran Malik not to reduce the pace, but to focus on his line and length more to keep the ball close to the stumps. Umran, riding on his excellent IPL 2022 with Sunrisers Hyderabad, has earned his maiden international call-up for South Africa T20Is.

Umran Malik has been considered as the next big thing of Indian cricket following a successful IPL 2022 campaign with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The 22-year-old clocked 150 kph on a regular basis and ended up picking 22 wickets in 14 matches. He was fittingly adjudged the Emerging Player of the edition, and later on, earned his maiden international call-up for India's forthcoming five-match T20I series versus South Africa, beginning from June 9 in Delhi.

Speaking on Star Sports show Game Plan, former Indian all-rounder-turned-commentator Irfan Pathan remembered the piece of advice he often tells to Umran whenever they meet. Pathan said he always suggests Umran to work on his line and length, but never advised him to compromise his pace.

"I always tell him that you have to pay attention to your line and length but you should not reduce your pace at all. The more he tries to keep the ball close to the three stumps and keeps on bowling the hard length, everything else will come with time," Pathan said on Star Sports show Game Plan.

"I have just simple advice for him after every match, whether it was in the IPL or will be going forward - what you have done well today and where you have to improve. This process has to be there till he or anyone else plays cricket. We have seen Sachin Tendulkar follow this process although no one else has had a career like him."

Notably, Umran became the youngest to take more than 20 wickets in an IPL season this year, breaking Jasprit Bumrah's record.