"India could trial some one like Umran Malik for this reason" - Sanjay Manjrekar on the importance of raw pace in Tests
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has vouched for the inclusion of Umran Malik into the Test setup after Mark Wood showcased the results of hostile and accurate fast bowling in the third Ashes Test.
The Australian batters, barring perhaps Mitchell Marsh at times, found it hard to survive against Wood. The pacer marked his return to Test cricket with a well-deserved five-wicket haul which helped England bowl out Australia for 263 on the opening day.
Wood made the most of the lively wicket at Headingley, and his short, sharp spells panned out exactly has hoped.
Opining that Team India could also use some raw pace in their bowling attack, especially to wipe out the lower order, Manjrekar tweeted:
"In Tests, extra pace ( Mark Wood) in the bowling attack has one advantage. The tail does not wag as much. India could trial some one like Umran Mallik for this reason."
India have selected a shuffled bowling attack for the upcoming two match Test series against the West Indies.
However, it does not feature Umran Malik and the fastest bowler in the unit is Mohammed Siraj, followed by the likes of Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Jaydev Unadkat.
Umran Malik has been selected for the white-ball leg of the Caribbean tour
The Indian speedster was heavily involved in Team India's home season during early 2023, but fizzled out during the Indian Premier League (IPL) season with the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Umran Malik only claimed five wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 10.85 as the franchise finished at the bottom of the table. Despite the shaky form, he finds a place in Team India's squad for the three-match ODI series and five-match T20I rubber against the West Indies.
India will be hoping for Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami to lead India's red-ball bowling attack before the inevitable transition.
While Umran Malik can be compared with Mark Wood in terms of pace, the Englishman is far ahead in terms of experience and accuracy. The recent IPL edition showcased that the Jammu and Kashmir-born pacer is still raw and might need a bit more time to hit his true potential.
Over the course of his short career, Malik has played seven first-class matches, with his debut coming in India A colors in 2021. He has taken 12 wickets at an economy rate of 4.46, and his last red-ball appearance came during the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy season.
Will the Indian speedster play red-ball cricket on a regular basis in the future? Let us know what you think.