Umran Malik’s rise has been one of the most exciting pace stories in recent TATA IPL history. One of the first cricketers from Jammu and Kashmir to feature in the league, Umran burst onto the scene in 2021 as a short-term replacement at Sunrisers Hyderabad, instantly grabbing attention with speeds consistently touching 150 kph. SRH retained him before the 2022 Mega Auction and Malik delivered a breakthrough season, picking up 22 wickets in 14 games, including a five-wicket haul against Gujarat Titans. He clocked a staggering 156.9 kph in the season and capped off the season by winning the Emerging Player award. His raw pace also fast-tracked him into the Indian side, where he played 18 white-ball matches between 2022 and 2023, picking up 24 wickets. Across 2023 and 2024, Umran featured in just six games for SRH, and was ruled out of IPL 2025 due to an injury. With KKR’s pace attack dealing with injuries, he could be a key X-factor this season.