Srinagar-born Umran Malik was recently included in the national squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. The express fast bowler earned his maiden Team India call-up after a stellar show in the just-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL). The 22-year-old pace sensation was impressive with the ball for the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in this season's IPL, picking up 22 wickets at a remarkable average of 20.18 in 14 matches.

However, the right-arm speedster earned plaudits from both the fans and the pundits for his raw pace, clocking 150 kmph in nearly every game in which he took part in the IPL.

Such was Umran Malik's consistency with the ball that he went on to claim the “fastest delivery of the match” award 14 times in a row.

The lightning-quick fast bowler has often been compared with Pakistan legends Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar for his ability to produce pace off the pitch.

While Australian great Brett Lee has compared Umran Malik to Waqar Younis who was known for rattling opposition batters with reverse swing, Shoaib Akhtar has backed him to break his record of bowling the fastest ball in cricket.

Akhtar produced a 161.3 kmph delivery against England's Nick Knight in the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003.

“I am a big fan. I think Umran Malik has got a lot of pace to burn. He is a competitor, a top guy, who runs in like a lot of fast bowlers in the past. Waqar Younis is the person who comes to mind,” Brett Lee said in a recent conversation with the Indian news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, Akhtar wants Umran Malik to break the 100 mph mark.

“I want to see him have a long career,” Shoaib Akhtar told Sportskeeda.

“A few days ago, someone was congratulating me as it's been 20 years since I bowled the fastest delivery but no one has been able to break the record. But I said, ‘There must be someone who can smash this record'. I will be happy if Umran breaks my record. But needs to ensure that he doesn't get injured in the process want to see him playing for a long stretch without any injuries,” the Rawalpindi Express added.

“I want to see him on the world stage as he belongs there. At present, there are not many people who can cross the 150 kph mark. We have seen that Umran has been bowling consistently at that pace. I want Umran to have that 100 mph mark at the back of his mind. I will be happy if he enters the 100 mph club. But he has to stay away from injuries which can halt his career,” Akhtar said.

Despite the extra speed that Umran Malik generates from the deck and his striking resemblance to India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah vis-a-vis his yorkers, the Kashmiri bowler has more to do if he's to turn into India's Shoaib Akhtar.

Many cricket fans around the world still remember Akhtar for terrorising the famed Indian batting line-up during his first tour of the country back in the year 1999.

The Indian batters, including the legendary Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, looked in considerable discomfort against Shoaib Akhtar's incoming deliveries, especially the ones which reverse swung in the air.

Can anyone forget the sight of Shoaib Akhtar sending Sachin Tendulkar back to the pavilion for his first-ever golden duck at a jam packed Eden Gardens in the famous Kolkata Test in the same year?

In his heydays, Shoaib Akhtar was the biggest challenge for rival teams as he used to decimate them with his unplayable bouncers and lethal yorkers, particularly in Test matches. Akhtar took 178 Test wickets at an average of 25.69 in 46 games for Pakistan.

Shoaib Akhtar's career was eventually cut short by a string of injuries. But that wasn't the case with his Pakistan compatriot, Waqar Younis as continued to wreak havoc among the opposition batters for a prolonged period, retiring with 373 and 416 wickets in Tests and ODIs respectively.

If Umran Malik finishes with a career half as good as both Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar Younis in terms of wickets he would have done his job for Team India but to achieve it, he would need to remain strong for many years to come as injuries tend to take a toll on a fast bowler's life.

While there's no doubt about the talent Umran Malik possesses, he needs to put in long hours in the practice field and the gym if he's to have a long career with the Indian cricket team, otherwise, he could join a long list of players who became one season wonders.

Even the legendary Glenn McGrath has urged Umran Malik to continue working on his fitness and stay focused on his bowling as improvements in both these areas is the recipe for success in international cricket.

“Sheer pace is important but Umran Malik has to be prepared to put the work in to get that control and if he can combine control with that sheer pace then he'll get into any team in the world,” McGrath told Sportstar.

“It's about doing well in the second season and third season, once the batters get to know your bowling. When you are bowling 150 kmph-plus, that's a lot of stress on the body and if you don’t put the work off the field to keep yourself strong, sooner or later you are going to break. When you are sitting and watching from the sidelines and they're not picking you anymore, it's not much fun,” McGrath concluded.