"Heavy Strapping On Knee": In Mohammed Shami's 1st Training With India In 427 Days, Signs Are...

As Team India gathered for their white-ball series opener against England, the spotlight during the intense three-hour practice session was on veteran pacer Mohammed Shami. Returning to the national set-up after a 14-month injury lay-off, Shami displayed promising signs, bowling at full tilt for over an hour. Sporting heavy strapping on his left knee, Shami began with a gradual warm-up session under the watchful eyes of bowling coach Morne Morkel. Initially running in with short strides, he bowled for nearly an hour before participating in a cautious fielding drill to test his knee.

Just as doubts arose about his full readiness, the seasoned pacer turned back the clock with a long run-up and trademark fiery spells, bowling to youngsters like Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma in the nets.

Shami's rhythm improved with each delivery, as he extracted bounce and movement, troubling the batters on multiple occasions.

However, young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel managed to take on Shami, hitting some aggressive strokes, providing the veteran with a stern test.

Despite a taxing session, Shami continued to bowl at full steam for nearly 45 minutes without requiring assistance from the team's physiotherapist or strength and conditioning coach.

After the nets, Shami wasn't done yet.

He moved to the adjacent length-bowling practice area where he engaged in a detailed discussion with Morkel.

The duo worked meticulously on hitting specific lengths, with Shami showcasing pinpoint accuracy by repeatedly striking the two stumps set up for the drill.

He then joined Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana for further practice, exchanging insights during the session.

The only moment Shami appeared slightly discomforted was when he limped back to the