Just hours after India lost the opening Test to New Zealand in Bengaluru, Mohammed Shami was seen bowling in full tilt on the same pitch, putting to rest any doubts over his fitness that had been raised earlier in the series.
Following the crushing defeat at the hands of the Kiwis, several questions were raised over the team
However, undeterred by the criticism, Shami was seen putting in the hard yards in the nets, looking determined to bounce back stronger than ever. Bowling in full tilt on the same pitch where India had suffered a heavy defeat just hours earlier, the veteran pacer was a sight to behold, with his eyes firmly fixed on the whites.
Under the watchful eyes of the Indian coaching staff and selectors, Shami seemed to be on a mission to prove his doubters wrong, with every delivery looking more menacing than the previous one. His lengths were spot on, and his pace was also regularly clocking in excess of 140 kmph, a sight that will send jitters down the spines of the New Zealand batsmen in the remaining matches of the series.
As Shami continued to bowl his heart out in the nets, he was also seen interacting with the Indian coaching staff and his teammates, with all of them seemingly encouraging him to keep pushing the envelope and getting better with each passing delivery. Whether or not Shami will be drafted back into the playing XI for the next Test remains to be seen, but if his performance in the nets is anything to go by, the Kiwis will certainly have their work cut out against him.