Much before Umran Malik, Abdul Samad and Rasikh Salam became household names for their outings in the Indian Premier League, Parvez Rasool was the only J&K player making waves in the country for his consistent run in the domestic circuit which also earned him the India cap. IPL deals followed and the all-rounder did play some games, was part of three franchises – Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors, Sunrisers Hyderabad – but failed to attract any bid at the mega auctions ahead of the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League.
Umran Malik during IPL 2022 match. Sportzpics
After playing the entire domestic season for J&K, Rasool has been grinding in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, where other Indian cricketers like Hanuma Vihari, Baba Aparajith are also playing. Like most from the Valley, Rasool continues to be glued to IPL action primarily because of latest pace sensation Umran Malik. Umran has played under Rasool and the domestic veteran is “really proud” to see the youngster rise up the ladder. In an exclusive interaction with Firstpost.com from Dhaka, Rasool throws light on Umran, his chances of making to the top, playing red ball and more.
Excerpts:
Q: How pleasing is to see someone from your state do so well in the Indian Premier League?
A: I really feel proud and I’m really happy for the way he has been performing. It has been a total turn around for J&K cricket. There was a time when we used to be nowhere and there are players now who are making headlines. Umran is someone is consistently bowling fast. As a team, we have been doing pretty well especially in the last few years. The players have worked really hard despite the fact that the facilities are not that great. I played (at the highest level) and the other players have got inspired and are working hard and performing well and this makes me really happy.
Q: In the last few years, there has been a different buzz about J&K cricket. More and more players are coming up…
A: A major role in changing the mindset of the players has been played by Bishan Singh Bedi sir (when he was coach of the team) as he motivated us to do well and not just win one or two games. He has played a very huge role in taking our performance graph upwards. In fact, after he became our coach, my personal performance also improved drastically and I had the best performance as the all-rounder.
Q: What about Irfan Pathan?
A: After Bishan Singh Bedi sir, it was Irfan Pathan who motivated the kids and also worked on the skills of the players. He has also motivated us and worked hard with us. These people have played a very big role in improving J&K cricket. It was probably this season where we were not up to the mark but the guys are putting in the extra effort.
Q: Umran has been consistently hitting 150 on the speed gun. Is it just the speed or something else which continues to attract your attention?
A: I think, he is totally natural. The coaches can teach you swing and other things but the pace that a bowler generates is generally natural. But I’m really amazed to see the way he has been learning because he hasn’t played a lot of cricket in the past as well. He has picked up things very quickly, considering the experience he has at competitive level.
Q: Pace, especially in T20s, is a double-edged sword. Umran has picked wickets but has gone for runs in few games too.
A: Look, fast bowlers can give away runs because the batters can get help from the pace. In Umran’s case also, if you have a close look, the runs come off the edges from batters. Initially, it was his inexperience but he is now improving and is understanding as where to bowl. A lot of credit goes to the SRH coaching staff as well. They have Dale Steyn, Tom Moody and then they have bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, so definitely, he is learning a lot and very quickly.
Q: Umran played the Ranji Trophy with you. Is he ready for red ball?
A: I feel he can do good in every format. Like, we were playing in Ranji and the batters were genuinely scared of facing him. In coming years, he will be learning a lot and will do well. He is getting that understanding. In my opinion, he will play all the formats because pace is something that troubles every batter and that’s the positive he has.
Q: Australia will host the upcoming T20 World Cup. You think Umran can make the cut?
A: Any fast bowler would love to play in Australia and Umran can be very lethal in those conditions. The kind of rhythm and the form he has right now, I have a gut feeling that he will do really good there if he gets a chance.
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