Umran Malik should pair with Jasprit Bumrah when India plays in Australia: Harbhajan Singh

Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh heaped praises on the Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer, Umran Malik, for his ability to bowl with raw pace. The speedster recently clocked the fastest ball of the season with a 157 kmph delivery and is only behind Shaun Tait for the fastest ball bowled ever in the history of the tournament. He has grown leaps and bounds this season under the guidance of Dale Steyn, the fast bowling coach of SRH.

Malik was retained ahead of the mega auction this year by SRH after proving to be a great find last year and he has repaid the faith with 15 wickets in 1o games already. The quick from Jammu and Kashmir has picked up a five-wicket haul as well and has rattled even the best of batters in the T20 league already. With the T20 World Cup coming up this year, a lot of experts have already talked about their hopes to see him in Indian colours on the field in Australia.

Umran Malik will inspire many youngsters to take up this game: Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan was highly impressed with the youngster and noted that he wants to see how Malik performs in the international circuit for India. He wondered if any bowler in India bowls more than 150 kmph and felt that Malik will inspire a lot of youngsters to come out of the remotest areas of the country and showcase their talents. He added that he would have opted for Malik to partner with Bumrah if he was on the selection committee.

“He (Umran Malik) is my favourite. I want to see him in the Indian team because of what a bowler he is. Tell me any one bowler who bowls more than 150 (kmph) and isn’t playing for the country. So I think, it is a great great thing and he will inspire many youngsters to take up this game, where he has come from and what he is doing in the IPL, he is unbelievable,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying by News 18.

“I don’t know whether he will be selected or not, but if I were a part of the selection committee, I would have given a go ahead. Umran Malik should be the partner with Jasprit Bumrah when India plays in Australia,” he added.