Veteran paceman Peter Siddle says he's determined to push his name back in front of Test selectors ahead of the looming Ashes series.
Siddle, 32, broke down with a back injury in his 62nd Test match against South Africa in Perth in November last year and hasn't featured at international level since.
But the paceman has returned to full fitness and will get his next chance to impress when his Victoria side take on South Australia in the second round of the Sheffield Shield at the MCG on Saturday.
Barring injury, the NSW pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will partner offspinner Nathan Lyon for the first Test in Brisbane.
But Siddle will be hoping to be next cab off the rank if one of those quicks is unavailable, with Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jackson Bird, Jason Behrendorff and Chadd Sayers also in that mix.
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"If I didn't have the desire to play for Australia I probably wouldn't continue to play," Siddle told reporters on Thursday.
"I want to be a part of the Ashes at some stage but my first goal is to get back for Victoria and play some unrestricted Shield cricket.
"You always want to (send a message to selectors) but for me it's just exciting to be back playing after spending so much time off the park over the past 18 months.
"My body is 100 per cent, which is good, and I've pulled up well.
"I just want to play some consistent cricket over the next few weeks and see what happens."
Two more Shield rounds will be played before the first Test gets underway on November 23.
The Bushrangers are gunning for their fourth Shield title in a row, but their season got off on the wrong foot with an outright loss to Queensland at the Gabba.
"You never want to start like that ... we know teams are going to be chasing us, but we have to be ready and on the ball," Siddle said.
"Our first performance definitely wasn't one of our better ones.
"It was a short turnaround from the one-day format and we probably just didn't adjust quick enough.
"Queensland got on the top of us early on and their pressure from there got to us ... but there's no need to dwell on it."
