The shootout for Australia's remaining Ashes batting spots resumes on Saturday with five of the Test team's top six poised for a return to red-ball cricket in the Sheffield Shield.
Just over five months out from the first Test against England, the final four rounds of this summer's Shield shape as the most crucial end to a domestic season in memory.
Only white-ball representative Usman Khawaja won't play from Australia's batting line up against Sri Lanka in Canberra, while David Warner and Steve Smith remain banned but will return for the Ashes.
Cameron Bancroft play his first top-class red-ball game for Western Australia since the Cape Town Test, against a NSW side that includes Kurtis Patterson at Sydney's Bankstown Oval.
Elsehwere openers Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw face a show down with Marcus Harris against Victoria at Melbourne's Junction Oval.
Marnus Labuschagne will also play for the Bulls, while Will Pucovski returns for Victoria after being released from the Test squad for mental health reasons.
Matthew Wade will move up the order as a specialist batsman for Tasmania when Tim Paine takes the gloves against South Australia, who have Travis Head back at their disposal.
"There are a lot of us batters who are in that Test squad and are just playing red-ball cricket now," Patterson said.
"I'm sure the people at Cricket Australia will be happy about that in a sense. We can just be in Shield cricket now and watching a Dukes ball for the next six months."
The final rounds of the Shield will also be played exclusively with the swinging Dukes ball, with greener pitches traditionally served up around the country to cater for it.
Only Smith, Warner and Head appear certain to claim spots in the Ashes top six, with serious debate still ongoing around the second opener, Khawaja as No.3 and the other middle-order spot.
Other contenders Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb and Marcus Stoinis are in India with the one-day squad, while Mitch Marsh is out with a groin strain.
Crucially, the final four rounds of the Shield could act as an initial battle for spots on the Australia A tour of England in June, which coach Justin Langer has already indicated will be used as an Ashes selection trial.
Meanwhile Australia's front-line bowlers all remain either injured or in India, with hopeful Daniel Worrall also out with back pain.
However both Peter Siddle and Chris Tremain will play for Victoria and Chadd Sayers for South Australia as they aim to push their cases.
