Umran Malik & Sanjay Manjrekar. (Photo Source: Twitter, LORRAINE O’SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Cricketer-turned-broadcaster Sanjay Manjrekar has backed speedster Umran Malik to feature in Test cricket too instead of continuously playing in the white-ball games. Notably, India are all set to play West Indies in a multi-format series which includes two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is, scheduled to commence on Wednesday, July 12.
With this, a set of team India fringe players will look to make vital contributions with the bat and ball and among them is Umran Malik. The pacer has failed to obtain too many opportunities with the national team and will be gunning to prove a point in the forthcoming tour of the West Indies. Notably, Umran failed to make it to the red-ball set-up but has been included in the ODI and T20I squads for the tour.
However, former cricketer Manjrekar provided his stance on Umran’s inclusion and stated that he should rather be playing in the longest format considering his lethal pace. Manjrekar also cited England speedster Mark Wood’s comeback in the set-up and his impact in the third Ashes Test.
“I believe if you have to pick Umran (Malik), give him a chance in Test cricket because we saw when Mark Wood played the last Ashes Test, a guy who can bowl 90 miles per hour, his specialty is that the tail-enders don’t stay against him for long,” Manjrekar told News24 Sports.
Notably, Mark Wood proved to be quite impactful for the English side as he consistently hit the deck at speeds over 90mph and racked up a match haul of seven wickets against the Aussies in the Headingley Test.
He will be an X-factor in our bowling: Sanjay Manjrekar
The 23-year-old J&K pacer has featured in eight T20Is and as many ODIs and collected 11 and 13 wickets, respectively. Manjrekar further reiterated that the think tank should experiment with Umran in a Test series where there is not much pressure so as to see the returns.
“So, if you have to see Umran Malik, instead of white-ball cricket, if you have a Test series that is not that high-profile, give him a chance there, three-four over spells. So, he will be an X-factor in our bowling,” he added.