Former India opener turned famous commentator Aakash Chopra has opened up on SRH’s retentions – Abdul Samad and Umran Malik. He stated that their retention was surprising ahead of the IPL 2022 Auction. However, along with them, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has retained their skipper Kane Williamson as well. The franchise retained them for ₹4 crores apiece as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said: “I was slightly surprised by one retention, when I see that you are retaining an uncapped player. Abdul Samad and Umran Malik – these are two names who are not playing regularly. Yashasvi Jaiswal played the entire season last year, Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep also played the entire season.”
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The cricketer-turned-commentator also opened up on the fact that both Samad and Malik are not regular members of the SRH playing XI as well.
Aakash Chopra observed: “So if you see any team, the uncapped player they have retained is the one who plays the entire season. Neither did I see Abdul Samad playing the entire season nor did I see Umran Malik.”
While Malik was picked by SRH in IPL 2021 as a replacement for the speedster T Natarajan, Samad played 11 of the 14 matches SRH played in the IPL 2021 as well. While acknowledging Samad and Malik’s potential, Aakash Chopra stated that they could have probably been bought cheaper at the mega auction.
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He said: “Of course, both of them have promise, they have a lot of potential but generally, you don’t park your 8 crores on two uncapped Indians unless they have been a regular part of your playing XI. So there I am slightly surprised.”
“But I am not worried because Umran Malik has something which either you have or you don’t, a speed of 145 kph and Abdul also has something which either you have or you don’t, you can’t teach anyone the six-hitting ability,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
