Mumbai, Apr 28 (IANS): Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowling sensation Umran Malik is leaving everyone impressed with his express pace and accuracy in the IPL 2022.
Cricket greats like Sunil Gavaskar, Dale Steyn and Ian Bishop are excited to watch this seamer from Jammu and Kashmir do so well in the tournament, and everyone is of the view that he has a bright future ahead.
Now, the senior congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram has lavished praise on Umran Malik, requesting the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to induct the sensational pacer in the national team.
Umran picked a brilliant fifer against Gujarat Titans on Wednesday. One of the highlights of the five-wicket haul was when he cleaned up Wriddhiman Saha with his 152.8 kmph thunderbolt Yorker. Before Saha, he removed Shubman Gill (22) in the fourth ball of the 8th over and then in the very next ball, he hit Hardik Pandya on the shoulder with a lightning bouncer. In his second over, Umran Malik again troubled Hardik (10) and eventually dismissed the Gujarat skipper with a short ball.
"The Umran Malik hurricane is blowing away everything in its way. The sheer pace and aggression is a sight to behold. After today's performance there can be no doubt that he is the find of this edition of IPL," Chidambaram tweeted.
"The BCCI should give him an exclusive coach and quickly induct him into the national team," he added.
Earlier another Congress leader, Shashi Tharoor had also called for him to be inducted into the Indian squad.
"We need him in India colours asap. What a phenomenal talent. Blood him before he burns out! Take him to England for the Test match greentop. He and Bumrah bowling in tandem will terrify the Angrez!" he had tweeted.
Former cricketer Wasim Jaffer tweeted, "The rise and rise of Umran Malik is the story of this IPL. So far he's been coming to bowl with opposition under pressure but this time came when GT were wicketless and took down the top 3."
However, sensational batting by Rahul Tewatia (40 not out off 21) and Rashid Khan (31 not out off 11) in the slog overs overcame pacer Umran Malik's maiden fifer (5/25) as Gujarat Titans beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets in a thrilling IPL 2022 match at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Wednesday.