The sight of Prithvi Shaw, 18, getting up on his toes and playing a back foot punch against one of the Indian fast bowlers is one to savour. Watching it from close proximity, one realises the immense talent of Shaw, but it is what follows that is arguably more pleasing from the Indian team's perspective. Mohammed Shami runs in and beats Shaw with a perfect leg-cutter. This is followed by Jasprit Bumrah, who jags one off the deck sharply and has Shaw beaten for pace.

Then comes, Umesh Yadav, who bowls the youngster a hostile bouncer. All this is followed by Shardul Thakur's perfect outswinger that finds the edge. For the next 20 minutes, one is once again reminded of the rising stocks in the fast bowling department. Next to the practice pitch where the Indian seamers are giving Shaw a stern test, is the 22-yard-strip for tomorrow's fourth Test match against England. Surprisingly, the green strips that greeted India in the first three Tests has vanished. Either it is due to the soil in Southampton or perhaps England have realised that giving this much-famed Indian pace bowling unit any advantage is flirting with disaster.