Kevin Pietersen (Image Credits: Twitter)
Kevin Pietersen (Image Credits: Twitter)

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen reckoned pace sensation Umran Malik to be named in India’s final Test match against England in July.

The Jammu & Kashmir pace bowler has wreaked havoc in IPL 2022 with his raw pace and sheer brilliance while bowling against the world-class batters.

Umran Malik bowled the fastest delivery in IPL 2022

Bowling above 150 has been a norm for Malik like he did against Gujarat Titans in the first leg. He clocked 157 kmph speed in his last match against Delhi Capitals to record the fastest delivery of the tournament, surpassing his own record of 154kmph.

Umran Malik
Umran Malik. Image: IPL/BCCI

In the second leg against Gujarat Titans, Malik claimed maiden five-wicket haul with 5/25. Four of his five wickets involved the dismantling of the stumps including the one Wriddhiman Saha bowled at the speed of 152.8 kmph.

India couldn’t play the final Test of the five-match Test series against England last year due to COVID-19 tensions in their camp. The fifth Test in Manchester was called off on Day 1 without a ball being bowled.

Both BCCI and ECB mutually decided to reschedule the series-decider match in India’s limited-overs tour of England in July 2022. The fifth Test will be played between July 1-5 at the Edgbaston in Birmingham.

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Umran Malik is a breakout star of this competition: Kevin Pietersen

Pietersen said it would be silly for the Indian selectors to not think of using Malik in the series-decider against England.

If I was an India selector, I’d pencil him in for that Test match against England in July. The England batters are currently facing 70mph seamers in county cricket, so they certainly won’t want to be facing 90-95mph bowling all of a sudden,” Pietersen wrote in his column for Betway.

Umran Malik (Image Credits: Twitter)
Umran Malik (Image Credits: Twitter)

“He is a breakout star of this competition and India would be silly not to use him straight away. To me, there is no point waiting around. Malik should be in the reckoning for India’s Test team, as well as white-ball sides. Nobody enjoys facing that kind of pace,” he further mentioned.

Although Malik bowled the fastest delivery of IPL 2022 against Delhi Capitals, he conceded 52 runs from four overs without any wickets, his most expensive spell of the season.

Also ReadIPL 2022: Given The Form Umran Malik Is In, He Should Be Fast-Tracked In Indian Squad – Parvez Rasool