Should Umran Malik play Tests before featuring in limited-overs cricket?

Ever since the Jammu Express, Umran Malik, made his international debut for Team India, he has been the talk of the town.

While some were thrilled by his lethal pace, some believe he’s still very raw to be playing cricket on the biggest stage.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra recently shared his views regarding Umran Malik’s selection to the national side. He compared India’s two new debutants in the past month - Umran and Arshdeep. Chopra stated that for him, Arshdeep is a better option than Umran.

In the 3 T20Is that Umran has played till now, he has picked up 2 wickets but his economy of 12.44 is extraordinarily high.

And Chopra put out a video on his Youtube channel, where he said that Umran is not ready for international cricket as of now.

Many other cricket pundits had also shared their opinion on Umran in recent times. While English cricketer Michael Vaughan wanted BCCI to send Umran to play county cricket earlier this summer, Virender Sehwag had said that if Umran is used effectively, he will be an asset to the team.

There’s another school of thought which believes that ushering Umran into international cricket should be done through Tests instead of limited-overs cricket since there's more room for error in the longest format.

In Tests, with batsmen usually playing with a defensive mindset, Umran can be groomed to withstand the pressure of international cricket in a controlled manner.

His lethal pace no doubt is a gift but India needs to figure out the best way to utilise it. And maybe, helping him settle into the Test side first may do wonders for his confidence.

Umran is truly a once-in-a-generation bowler but like all diamonds require polishing, he needs the right guidance to realise his true potential.

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