‘He has the potential to do well for a long period’ - Ishant Sharma heaps massive praise on Umran Malik

The Indian team is sort of in a transitional period in context with the side’s pace attack. With Jasprit Bumrah’s consistent injury problems and Umesh Yadav not being a regular for team India, only veteran Mohammed Shami is left to spearhead India’s pace attack. Especially in Test cricket, only Shami and Mohammed Siraj are the two main pacers for India with Bumrah’s injury concerns.

With the side competing against the West Indies in two Test matches in July, veteran pacer Ishant Sharma believes that the BCCI has a task of developing the next generation of Indian pacers as soon as possible. The 34-year-old recently came forward to name the three pacers that he deemed to have the potential to make it big with the national team. Sharma named the likes of Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, and Mukesh Kumar as the three players who could do wonders for India if developed properly.

"If you work properly with him, Umran Malik has the potential to do well for the country for a long period of time. (The other would be) Arshdeep Singh," Ishant Sharma said while talking on YouTuber Raveer Allahbadia's podcast.

Furthermore, he also emphasised Mukesh Kumar’s talent, who was his teammate at Delhi Capitals in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. It is also worth noting that Mukesh has been named in the Indian Test and ODI squads for the upcoming West Indies tour.

"Not many people know his (Mukesh Kumar) story, but I haven't seen a man as simple as him. If you ask him to bowl a particular delivery, he will bowl only that! He needs the right guidance on the field so that when the pressure situation comes, he knows what delivery to bowl," Ishant said.

"He went for runs in IPL because he bowled the tough overs. No one sees the situation in which he bowled, or which batsman he bowled to. Everyone sees that he conceded 50 runs in 4 overs. When Russell is playing and they've lost 8 wickets, what does he have to lose? If you even fail to execute one yorker, he will hit you for a six. No one notices these things. If he's guided properly, he can become a very good fast bowler," he concluded.