3 fast bowlers who can be India's answer to Haris Rauf ft. Umran Malik

Pakistan speedster Haris Rauf breathed fire during the opening ODI against Afghanistan as Pakistan crushed them by 142 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.

The Pakistan pacers were unplayable as Afghanistan were skittled out for just 59 runs in the 20th over. It was sheer pace and intimidation that had the Afghans at sea, and they could never really recover from the early hiccups.

It was Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah who reduced Afghanistan to 4/3 before Haris delivered thunderbolts one after the other to derail the run chase.

He finished with exceptional figures of 5/18, which included the prized wickets of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Nabi, and Rashid Khan. While Gurbaz was beaten for pace and Nahi was dismissed by an innocuous delivery, Rashid was beaten by sheer pace.

Over the years, Pakistan has been known to produce quality fast bowlers. It has only been in recent years that we have seen India also produce some top-quality fast bowlers. However, when it comes to the speed gun, the Indian bowlers haven't quite matched their Pakistan counterparts.

That said, let us have a look at three fast bowlers who can be India's answer to Haris Rauf:

---

#1 Umran Malik

Umran is the fastest Indian bowler to have ever graced the game, but he hasn't quite realized his potential on the international circuit. He has been in and around the national setup but has failed to grab the limited opportunities he has gotten so far.

It was in the 2022 IPL that Umran made heads turn with a fiery spell against the Gujarat Titans. Playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Umran breathed fire and accounted for five SRH wickets.

He finished the tournament with 22 wickets in 14 games and earned a place in the national team for the subsequent Ireland tour. He has played 18 white-ball games for India so far, bagging 24 wickets in the process.

The Rohit Sharma-led side would be hoping that he is groomed well and can remain injury-free for longer periods of time. If he gets proper guidance, then Umran can be a threat to any top-class batting line-up.

---

#2 Prasidh Krishna

Prasidh Krishna made a return to the national team for the Ireland series.

Another Indian speedster who made a mark in the IPL, Prasidh Krishna, is an integral part of the Indian ODI set-up.

A stress fracture kept him out of national reckoning for about a year, but the selection committee picking him for the Asia Cup certainly proves that he is a crucial member of the white ball team.

In his absence, Mohammed Siraj went up the pecking order and even went on to become the No. 1 ODI bowler. Prasidh might not be as fast as Haris Rauf, but he can certainly be deceptive and skiddy in nature.

He can generate steep bounces, have immaculate slower ones, and have pinpoint Yorkers up his sleeve. If he remains injury-free and gets a consistent run, Prasidh could well go on to become India's answer to Haris Rauf.

---

#3 Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj had become the No 1 bowler in ODIs.

A bowler with a big heart, Mohammed Siraj has made giant strides in international cricket. Touted as a red-ball bowler at the beginning of his career, Siraj has now become India's lynchpin in the white-ball set-up as well.

As the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna were recovering from injuries, Siraj took the responsibility into his own hands and went on to become the No. 1 bowler in ODIs in a short period of time.

He can swing the ball both ways and can be a lethal option with the new ball. Over the last couple of years, Siraj has worked hard on his skill sets and has developed yorkers and slower deliveries, which have made him the bowler he is today in the white ball format.