India, Dec. 7 -- On a grey December afternoon at Eden Gardens, Umran Malik sounded less like a speed gun attraction and more like a fast bowler trying to redesign his entire career. On the sidelines of Jammu and Kashmir's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Hyderabad in Kolkata on December 4, the 25-year-old kept circling back to the same non-negotiable: he will not sacrifice what made him Umran Malik in the first place.

"Every fast bowler in the world knows that injuries are going to be a part of his career. But speed is my natural aspect. How can I compromise with that? Speed is my biggest strength, and I want to continue to maintain that strength," Malik told ESPNcricinfo, making it clear that he sees pace not as an add-on but his e...