Proteas speedster Dale Steyn is aiming to be back in training by February, after a lengthy time on the sideline.

Steyn picked up a shoulder injury shortly after taking the wicket of David Warner in the first Test between SA and Australia in Perth, and as a result underwent surgery which ruled him out for a minimum of six months.

On Thursday, Steyn revealed that he would be back sooner than expected, and will commence with light training in February.

‘It’s going okay so far. I’m seeing the physio two or three times a week … to get some movement and some blood flow through there,’ Steyn told EWN sport.

‘I guess I’ll take December to recover and probably most of January too. By the end of January or maybe early February I’ll probably start to lightly bowl.

‘Right now it’s in the recovery phase and there’s not much I can do.’

The 33-year-old is currently 10th on the all-time wicket-takers list with 417 sticks in 85 matches and is on the brink of overtaking Proteas legend Shaun Pollock (421 in 108 Tests) as South Africa’s leading wicket-taker.