"Going to take time" - Rishabh Pant hints at the debut of Umran Malik in the first T20I against South Africa

India and South Africa will lock horns in the first match of the five-match T201 series at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Thursday, June 9. Just ahead of the first match, India faced a major blow when stand-in captain KL Rahul was ruled out of the series due to a side strain injury.

It means Rishabh Pant will lead the side. However, the Indian team is full of some exciting talents, and in the absence of seniors, it is a great opportunity for the young players to showcase their talent. One such player that has gathered the attention of everyone is the Kashmir-born pacer Umran Malik. 

He took Indian pace bowling to another level in the TATA IPL 2022. Umran took 22 wickets in the 14 matches, including a five-wicket haul. He impressed everyone with his pace and accuracy and is likely to make his debut in the very first match.

However, ahead of the first match, skipper Pant opened up about the role of the pacer in the team. He said that Umran is an amazing prospect but will learn how to control his aggression and length. Pant also hinted that it might take him a time to make his debut. 

He said, "It is going to take time I guess so till the time we are thinking as a team, people who have come first, we will look to give them early chances." Hardik Pandya will be the vice-captain for the series.

Notably, no replacement has been announced for KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav by the BCCI. The stand-in skipper also discussed the all-rounder, Deepak Hooda. He said that currently they are thinking as a team and will try to give opportunities to as many players as possible. 

He concluded, "When you have a large squad, it is difficult to give everyone the same amount of playing time." So it will be interesting to see who will get the chance in the playing XI today against South Africa.