Umran Malik’s list of admirers keeps growing at a steady rate. Australia great Ian Chappell is the latest to be impressed by the youngster and feels that it will be hard to ignore the pacer from Jammu and Kashmir.

In his column for ESPNcricinfo, Chappell credited the Indian Premier League (IPL) for India’s growing battery of pacers.

“India’s pace-bowling revolution shows no sign of abating, and the name on IPL watchers’ lips is currently that of the pacy Umran Malik. In the past India has displayed patience in developing its fast-bowling group but the genuine pace of Malik will be hard to ignore,” Chappell wrote.

“In a world where fast bowling is a valuable commodity, India are now a shining light,” he added.

Umran, who made his IPL debut last year, has been hurling missiles at over 150kmph in the current edition of the popular T20 tournament while playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

“India are currently a dominant international side and if they continue to show the required resolve, will continue to be a leading team. That is an envious position and India can thank the highly successful IPL for much of their lofty reputation,” Chappell wrote.

The former Australia captain feels that pacers have played a big role in India’s much-improved performance while playing overseas.

“The development of star quick bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj has been instrumental in India’s improved overseas reputation. There is also a depth below that group, in the successful Ishant Sharma, the underrated Umesh Yadav, and handy back-up in Shardul Thakur.

“…India, who had produced the odd faster bowler, lacked a pace conglomerate. Then the IPL began to bare its teeth, and now we have the current generation of fast bowlers to round out a versatile attack, which accompanies a strong batting line-up and a decent catching combination,” he wrote.

‘Disrespect’ hurt Gayle

Chris Gayle has revealed that he opted out of IPL 2022 because of lack of respect, saying he “wasn’t treated properly” in the last couple of years. “For the last couple of years, the way the IPL went about, I felt like I wasn’t treated properly,” the T20 legend, who calls himself the “Universe Boss”, was quoted as saying by mirror.co.uk.

“So I thought ‘okay, you (Gayle) didn’t get the respect you deserved after you did so much for the sport and IPL’. So I said ‘okay, that’s it, I’m not going to bother to enter the draft’, so I left it as it is.”

The former KKR and RCB player’s last stint in the IPL was with the Punjab Kings. But despite enjoying a good season in 2019, he struggled to regularly find a place in the XI in the 2020 and 2021 editions. (With PTI inputs)