Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan is baffled by the utilization of Umran Malik by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2023. The Jammu Express played only eight matches for SRH this season picking up only five wickets at a higher economy rate of 10.85 as he was sitting out in the dugout for most of the matches.
The right-arm pacer enjoyed a stellar season in the Indian Premier League 2022 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, taking 18 wickets in the competition and enjoying a breakthrough year in 2022 making his debut for India in T20I and ODI cricket. He has picked 13 and 11 wickets respectively in the white-ball formats for the Men in Blue but could not make an impact in IPL 2023.
Speaking in Hindustan Times, Cricketer-turned-commentator, Irfan Pathan was not impressed by the SRH team’s strategy to keep the Indian speedster out of the playing 11 as he was the leading wicket-taker for the side in IPL 2022 and reckons that Umran Malik should not reduce his speed to focus on the line and length as that could come to him and added that he would keep few things to him personally to give some inputs.
“League’s fastest bowler sitting out baffles me. Umran Malik wasn’t handled well by his team, So first of all. Let’s take last year, he was the highest wicket-taker for SRH. Right? And he played for India after that as well. We talking about a guy who bowls 150-plus. And here we are stuck with line and length,” Irfan Pathan said
” For Umran, adjusting his line and length – It’s not the right way for him. He should never compromise on his speed. He should keep bowling fast. Line and length will come, there are a couple of things I have in mind. that I will discuss with him in person.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad has spent most amount in the picking their side in the IPL auction 2023 but did not make a significant in the league stage as they have only four games out of 14 games finishing last in the points table under their new skipper Aiden Markram.
Rinku Singh Has Created Something That Will Last Long In Fans’ Minds – Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan picked Kolkata Knight Riders finisher Rinku Singh and Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal as the most impressive uncapped players in this edition of the Indian Premier League and reckons that Rinku Singh has done exceptionally well to be remembered for many years in the cash-rich league.
“It’s a big competition between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rinku Singh. But I’ll go with Rinku Singh. Look, I’m really impressed with Yashasvi. Last year he was getting out to spinners and this year, he has smoked them. His strike rate has been outstanding as well”.
“Rinku has created something that will last long in fans’ minds throughout their lives. So not choosing Rinku will be very unfair. So I’ll choose Rinku,” Irfan Pathan concluded.
Rinku Singh was the standout performer for KKR with the bat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 even as the franchise failed to qualify for the playoffs of the cash-rich league. The southpaw scored 474 runs in 14 matches at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52, with four half-centuries