Fast bowler Umran Malik is dreaming of making a place in the Indian team again after returning from injury and for this he is relying on his ability to bowl at a speed of 150 km per hour and new qualities like slow ball and fast yorker.
Umran, who took 24 wickets in 10 ODIs and eight T20 Internationals for India, is away from the Indian team since July 2023 due to various reasons, but these setbacks have not affected his enthusiasm.
“Let me tell you one thing, those who bowl at a speed of 150 km/h are not strike bowlers, they are attacking bowlers,” Umran told reporters after Jammu and Kashmir’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh here on Friday. They will concede 30 (runs) in four (overs) but will also give you wickets. A fast bowler is like this. He should know what he has to do.
He said, “The bowler who bowls at a speed of 150 kg per hour knows that he is the king and he has to believe in himself. Not everyone can bowl at a speed of 150 kmph. It takes real courage to bowl at 150 kmph and I have been doing this for the last five years.
Umran stressed that bowling at this pace is not something one can achieve through hard work. “Bowling at 150 kmph is an art, you can’t go from 137 to 145 straightaway,” he said. Train, do whatever you want — it’s natural, it’s all natural. You need to train yourself accordingly, eat properly, rest properly, keep your body fresh so that you are ready for tomorrow’s procedure.
Umran said, “Speed is my natural aspect, how can I compromise with that? Training, running, cardio — you’ve got to keep it up. There is no special diet. Speed is my strength. I need to get my strength back.”
Umran bowled at a speed of 156.7 kmph in IPL 2024 but has been battling several injuries and illnesses since then. He said he never doubted his abilities or his future.
He said, “It is not that I was feeling mentally bad. I know I will do well now. I will come back to the Indian team. I have confidence in myself because I am the only one who bowls at a speed of 150 kmph.” Umran said, ”But now I am also bowling the slower ball which I am working on and also the yorker. I am doing the same in the red ball format as well. I am working hard.