Left knee strapped, Md Shami lets his pace talk at India nets

Master of swing and seam warms up for big battles

- Somshuvra Laha

KOLKATA: Ten minutes into an extraordinarily long training session, the lower tier of the Eden Gardens clubhouse came alive. At one end of the practice pitch was Mohammed Shami, his left knee heavily strapped, measuring out a very short run-up under the supervision of bowling coach Morne Morkel.

Jogging gingerly, barely six steps, and Shami was releasing the ball without putting much shoulder into the delivery. The wrist didn't lie though, as every ball zipped away after pitching. He was bending the ball alright. This was far from full tilt, more a cautious attempt. That threw up more questions than India would have liked as they got down to preparing for the white-ball series against England.

With no press conference scheduled for the day, all that the media could glean from the training were subtle hints or sweeping conjectures. And it wasn't exactly working in favour of Shami for the first half an hour. The right heel was under the scanner all the while until BCCI sent a press release in December stating that Shami's left knee had "exhibited minor swelling due to increased joint loading from his bowling workload" in domestic cricket.