Malik has taken 24 wickets across 10 ODIs and 8 T20Is for India. (BCCI/X)Speedster Umran Malik on Friday said that his goal was to play for India again. Malik who clocked 156.7kph in IPL 2024, has been battling multiple injuries since then but hasn’t let the setbacks affect his spirit.
“Let me tell you one thing. Those who bowl 150 are not strike bowlers, they are attacking bowlers. They will be hit for 30 (runs) in four (overs) but will also give you wickets. A fast bowler is like that. He should know what he has to do. A bowler who bowls at 150 knows that he is a king and he has to back himself. Not everyone can bowl 150kph. It takes real guts to bowl at 150kph and I have been doing this for the last five years,” he said after J&K’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Uttar Pradesh.
“Bowling 150kph is an art, you can’t go directly from 137 to 145. Do training, do whatever you want — this is natural, this is all natural. You need to train yourself accordingly, eat properly, rest properly, keep your body fresh so that you’re ready for the process tomorrow. Speed is my natural aspect, how can I compromise on that? Training, running, cardio –you have to maintain. There is no special diet. Pace is my strength. I have to regain my strength.”
Malik remained unfazed by the competition he might face in his return to the Indian side. “When I was playing earlier, there was this much competition. Now also the competition is the same. I don’t think there is any competition. When I am fully fit and take wickets like this, why won’t they let me play? They will let me play if I take wickets. That’s it,” he said.
“It is not that I will feel bad mentally. I know that I will do well now. I will come back to the India team. I have confidence in myself because I am the only one who bowls at 150. But now I am bowling slower (balls) as well, which I am working on, and also the yorker. I am doing that in red-ball formats too, I’m working hard there. The rest is up to the selectors when they let me play. I am doing better now. Playing again for India is my aim now,” he added.
Malik has taken 24 wickets across 10 ODIs and 8 T20Is for India.
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