India must unleash Umran Malik against South Africa

Throughout IPL 2022, not many pacers left as lasting an impression as Umran Malik. The youngster, who was retained by the Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the tournament, repaid the franchise’s faith with stellar performances – performances that were also rewarded by an India call-up.

Since his inclusion into the squad, the Men In Blue have played two T20Is against South Africa and have been thumped in both of those games. In the opening T20I, the hosts scored more than 200 but still ended up on the losing side. An encounter later, they stuttered and stumbled their way to 148, only for the Proteas to hunt down the total with ease.

Thus, India, owing to their recent results, have entered last-chance saloon in this series. Another defeat will see South Africa take an unassailable lead. So, it is only natural for everyone with a keen cricketing eye to contemplate what India have actually been missing.

Some might say they’ve not scored as many runs as they would’ve liked in the middle overs. Some could suggest that their death-bowling hasn’t quite been up to scratch. The Men In Blue's spinners have also endured a very sub-standard series so far. But what India have missed above everything else is penetration in the middle overs and a bowling X-Factor capable of tilting the scales of any contest.

The funnier bit is that India have someone cut out of that very cloth. For some reason, though, Umran has only warmed the bench so far – something you feel might have to change if the Men In Blue are to turn things around against South Africa.

Speaking of India’s listlessness in the middle overs, they’ve only managed to pick two wickets across two games between overs 7-16. Quinton de Kock was dismissed by Axar Patel at Delhi, and Temba Bavuma was castled by Yuzvendra Chahal at Cuttack. Apart from that, there has been absolutely nothing to shout about.

Both the aforementioned spinners have also conceded more runs than expected, with Chahal shipping 75 runs in 6.1 overs and Axar going at close to 12 runs per over. At Delhi, between overs 7-16, the hosts gave up 95 runs. A couple of days later, they allowed the Proteas to ransack 109 runs.

In contrast, South Africa have taken 6 wickets in the middle overs in two matches. They’ve also only conceded 172 runs, meaning that they’ve either brought the run-scoring to a standstill or have pressurized India to take more risks.

Incidentally, they’ve not depended on their spinners a lot during this phase. Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi have only bowled nine out of a possible sixteen overs. Where have their overs come from then? Fast bowlers of Anrich Nortje, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada and Wayne Parnell’s ilk.

India, on the other hand, have tried to use their spinners a lot more. However, with them not having the desired impact, they’ve not really had someone to fall back on. Harshal Patel has bowled during this phase but hasn’t picked up wickets. Avesh Khan bowled a tidy spell at Delhi but wickets were hard to come by for the Lucknow Super Giants pacer as well.

Umran Malik could solve India's middle overs bowling woes

Thus, with the Men In Blue struggling to pick up wickets in the middle overs, the time is ripe for them to unleash Umran. Not because of the irresistible pace element he brings to the table, but also because only three bowlers (Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Wanindu Hasaranga) picked up more wickets than him during the middle overs in IPL 2022. Those wickets came at an economy rate of 8.51 but a tally of 19 wickets in 14 matches in the middle overs is not shabby at all.

Umran’s modus operandi is to hassle batters with raw pace. Not many on the planet are capable of operating at a speed constantly in excess of 145 kmph. Umran does that regularly and forces batters to play strokes that they ordinarily wouldn’t. He also seems to have developed the knack of setting batters up – as illustrated by his dismissals of David Miller and Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022.

Most tellingly, though, there is a sense of the unknown with Umran. Almost everyone has seen what he can do. But no one really knows what he will do if he is given the nod. There could be an expensive spell. There could be a glut of wickets. There could be a situation where it feels he was rushed into international cricket. However, you can bet your house that it will be entertaining and that whatever happens, will happen at a hundred miles per hour (possibly literally).

Umran could still concede 50 runs in his four overs and make everyone batting for his inclusion look like a fool. But he could also scalp three wickets in a jiffy and make millions question why he wasn’t in the team in the first place. What is certain is there will be no middling display – the sort of displays that have hampered India already against South Africa.

As things stand, India have entered last-chance saloon. So, the worst that happens if Umran is taken apart is that India will lose the series. That, by the way, has been the trend even when Umran hasn’t been part of the eleven. From that perspective, India have nothing to lose. But they have plenty to gain if the SRH pacer can establish a foothold in international cricket.

For far too long this series, the hosts' monotonous bowling plans, whether it be Chahal flighting the ball on postage stamp-sized grounds, Harshal running in from 25 yards to bowl slower deliveries, or Axar darting, the ball into the batter’s pads, have been lined up. And rather unsurprisingly, they find themselves playing catch-up.

This could change, though, only if the Men In Blue are brave enough to unleash Umran. The numbers say it should happen. The general feel around him is pretty exciting too. And the situation India find themselves in, makes the gamble more worthwhile than it has ever been.