Mitchell Starc is desperate to get out of the nets and back in the middle as he faces a fight for his Test spot at home for the first time in four years.
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Starc will play his first match of the home summer in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield on Thursday, when NSW face Queensland at the Gabba.
The left-armer insists Australian selection will be the furthest thing from his mind, but all eyes will be on the battle of the quicks ahead of the first Test against Pakistan on November 21.
Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are likely locks for Australia, while James Pattinson will also return for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield this week.
Jhye Richardson is continuing his return from a shoulder injury, while Peter Siddle is also managing a hip flexor issue that will rule him out of the start of the Shield.
But after playing just one Ashes Test, Starc is keen to get back in the middle for NSW.
He plans on making himself available for all Shield matches before the Test, with the one exception being when he is away on national T20 duties.
"I've had plenty of time in the nets in the past five months, so I am trying to get out in the middle as much as I can," Starc said.
"This week is a great opportunity to get out in the middle and hopefully take some wickets.
"That (Aussie selection) is the furthest thing from my mind."
Starc also insisted he did not have a point to prove and that playing only the one Test in Manchester hadn't sparked anything different inside him.
The 29-year-old had been a mainstay of the Australian side since 2015 and has only missed four home Tests since then through injury.
But for the first time since 2014-15, he now faces a fight to be named against Pakistan and then later New Zealand.
"Right from the start (of the away Ashes) we knew it was a squad mentality and they were going to look at conditions for each Test match," Starc said.
"The way they saw the make up of the team it was just for Manchester.
"We had six fast bowlers at one time ready to go. Hopefully we're all fit for the summer and fighting for positions again."
Home conditions should work in his favour at least.
Starc remains one of the quickest bowlers in the world and the Gabba pitch is expected to suit him for the first Test.
"The wickets throughout the summer in general are a little bit harder and quicker," Starc said.
"Extra air speed comes into it a bit more than it does in the UK.
"Hopefully I've still got a bit of that up my sleeve and can come into the fold throughout the summer."
Australian Associated Press
