||Desk Report||

Dale Steyn made a successful comeback into South Africa’s ODI fold after a two-year gap, helping the Proteas win the recently-concluded three-match series against Australia.

The pacer injured his shoulder in a Test against England back in December 2015. He made a brief return before again picking up a shoulder injury in November 2016, which kept him out of action for 15 months.

A bruised heel then forced the 35-year-old out of South Africa's Test series against India marring his comeback earlier this year.

Steyn, South Africa's joint-highest wicket taker in Tests, admitted that he doubted the possibility of his return to the game at one point of the long battle with injury.

“Not so long ago I didn't think that I would be playing cricket again,” Steyn reportedly said.

“When I broke my shoulder I had this real drive to come back, but it took a long time. It took a solid six months before I could bowl again and I kept joking with my physio saying it was like U9 pace... I could get my arm over but there was no momentum.

“I knew that once I started playing again it would be like riding a bike. I've done it for so long and I'm blessed with a very natural action and things come quite easy.”

Steyn took seven wickets at an average of 13.42 to mark his ODI return and finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker for South Africa in their series-win down under.

With Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Andile Phehlukwayo in the fold, South Africa already had a formidable pace attack. Now, Steyn has become a strong contender for a place in the team and could well remain part of it during the ICC World Cup next year, depending on his fitness.