India head coach Rahul Dravid has always maintained that he likes continuity and gave clear hints on Tuesday that pace sensation Umran Malik might have to wait for his turn. Dravid was speaking ahead of the first of five-match T20 International series between India and South Africa here on Thursday.
Also Read: ‘I Still Get Nervous And go Through Negative Thoughts’
“We just have to see how much playing time we will be able to give him. We have a big squad, not possible to have everyone in the playing XI,” Dravid was categorical when asked about the ‘Jammu Express’.
“I am someone who likes consistency and give people time to settle in. Arshdeep has also done well, who is also an exciting player, who bowls well. We have a little bit of experienced guys in Harshal, Buvi and Avesh, who played in the last series. It is exciting to have the young guys as well, it helps us broaden our pool and see what they can do,” he said.
The coach, though, had words of praise for Umran and wants to see him more in Test cricket.
Also Read: Mithali, Mandhana And Jhulan Static in the Latest ICC Women’s ODI Rankings
“He is exciting, certainly bowls quick and has pace. Another exciting thing in the IPL for me was to see the Indian players bowl really fast. The more he plays the better he gets. Very happy to have him in the mix,” he said.
“As a coach I would love to see it translate to the longer format of the game,” the purist in him said.
Umran is the latest entry into the ever-growing list of world-class fast bowlers emerging from India in the past few years. He dazzled IPL 2022 with his raw pace as he troubled batters with his sheer pace.
Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Umran took 22 wickets from 14 matches including a five-wicket haul in his first full season. For his impressive performance, he was called-up for the South Africa T20Is.
Get all the latest updates on Cricket News, Cricket Photos, Cricket Videos, IPL 2022 Live Updates and Cricket Scores here