Former Australian star Sarah Coyte is returning the Women's Big Bash League to face her demons after retiring from cricket for personal reasons last year.
Coyte, 26, took 100 wickets across 81 matches in all forms of international cricket for Australia between 2010 and 2016, but walked away from the sport last summer to deal with publicised anxiety issues.
However, the seam bowler is set to make her top-flight return to the sport on Saturday for the Sydney Sixers against former club Adelaide, as both teams fight to cement their spot in the finals.
Coyte will tread water on her return, and said at this stage she has no plans to attempt to break back into the Australian squad or become a full-time cricketer again.
"Sometimes you've got to face the demons," Coyte told AAP.
"This is the biggest challenge.
"I want to see what this last year has done for me ...to see how much stronger my mind's gotten and see how much better it's got to deal with the anxiety it all creates."
Coyte, who previously played for the Adelaide Strikers, has been signed by the Sixers for the final two games of the season and finals alongside England international Amy Jones.
They are replacements for South African Dane Van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp, who have returned home for international duties.
Sixers coach Ben Sawyer approached Coyte after she played Sydney grade cricket earlier this summer, and she insists she still has the ability to compete in the WBBL.
Instead, she said the biggest challenges she will face will be internal.
"I want people to know that it's not just as easy as walking in and saying I'm back," she said.
"My anxiety meant I didn't sleep for two nights when Ben called me and asked me about it.
"I can guarantee you Friday night I probably won't sleep because I'll be worried about what's going to happen on Saturday.
"How is my body going to feel, how is my mindset going to be?
"Am I going to be up to being on the field, what am I going to be up to being at the game? What am I going to eat before the game?"
So far Coyte said she hasn't had any issues in either of her first two short training sessions with the Sixers.
Regardless though, she has vowed to put her health first after spending the past year dedicating her time to raising awareness for body image problems among elite athletes.
"I'm literally taking it session by session and anything I know is going to make me go backwards I won't put myself through it," she said.
"I have no doubt that Ben and the girls will make everything smooth sailing."
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