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Anubhav Sengupta, Xtra Time : Umran Malik has been probably the most talked about Indian cricketer of the Indian Premier League this season. With his sheer pace and aggressive ability, the 22 year old has impressed almost everyone around in the game, especially his mentor Dale Steyn.

And to talk on the young pace prospect, Xtra Time on Saturday took an exclusive interview of legendary former Bengal pacer Barun Burman. Here's what the former pacer had to say about the 'fastest' bowler in India right now.

Q) Umran Malik has been a revelation this season. From impressing Dale Steyn to almost everyone in the cricket circuit, the 22 year old has constantly clocked speeds over 150 kmp/h on regularly occasions. What would you like to say about him ?

Umran Malik is really fast. Probably the fastest Indian pacer I've ever seen. His run up, action is very good and impressive too. I hope he continues like this. And if he continues, I think the National selectors should consider taking him into the team. Be we need bowlers like him in T20 cricket. His pace will be very effective for the Indian team.

As far as it comes to Dale Steyn the coach, I saw a sight yesterday where after Umran took the wicket of Shreyas Iyer, Steyn went to celebrate and shake hands with the spin bowling coach, Muttiah Muralitharan. And his advice to Umran about only concentrating upon his pace without giving much attention to variations and swing is absolutely right. It is because the pace could only be developed up to a certain age and not beyond that. So he should try and bowl faster and the rest of the aspects and skills will develop automatically within 4-5 years. The Team India selectors should immediately pick him into the team.

Q) A pace bowler always has injury concerns. How can the BCCI protect him from this ?

A pacer is bound to be injured. If you are a fast bowler, injuries will come. And for that purpose, a cricketer does power training and physical training. So that he can avoid injuries. Also, a fast bowler has to be alert and keep that in mind that they can affect you anytime. But for that he should never compromise with pace and should always think of bowling fast without any hindrance. The mentality of bowling fast will take Umran leaps and bounds. He is an asset for us as there aren't many bowlers who can bowl that fast.

Q) We are nowadays associated with the term called workload management. How essential is it going to be for Umran ?

The workload management depends upon the team management. Bowlers like Umran shouldn't play every match. Suppose after playing 3 matches on a trot, if the management thinks that they can replace him with another pacer, then that should be the case.

Q) How fast should he be fast-tracked into the Indian team ? And which format should it be ?

See, Umran is playing T20 cricket regularly and is performing well constantly. And one more thing is that, he gets batters out by LBW, caught behind, bowled etc, which means behind the wicket. It means that he has that ability to beat the batters all hands up, which isn't the case with other bowlers as they are taking wickets, courtesy of caught in the deep etc. But Malik's dismissals are unlike those. Especially the way he set it up brilliantly for Shreyas Iyer yesterday and dismissed him with a brilliant yorker after a spell of 4-5 balls, is commendable.

Q) How will his game change when he plays with the likes of Bumrah, Shami in the national side ?

When he'll play with the likes of Shami, Bumrah, firstly his mentality would be on a completely different level. It is because he would play for the country. There is a huge, huge difference between playing and taking wickets for an IPL franchise and for Team India. So that would surely matter. He'll get that weightage.

So, according to me he should be immediately fast-tracked into the Indian team and should be tried out by the selectors. He is surely an asset for us and is probably the brightest prospect for India right now.