Peter Handscomb is set to remain on red-ball alert for Australia during the Ashes, with the dumped batsman opting against a Twenty20 hit in the Big Bash League.
Handscomb, who was axed in favour of Mitch Marsh for the third Ashes Test, remains part of Australia's 13-man squad for the Boxing Day bout with England.
Marsh's maiden Test ton means the Victorian will almost certainly be running drinks at the MCG.
Handscomb's next chance to don the baggy green is likely to come on March 1, when Australia start a four-Test series in South Africa.
The 26-year-old could have been parachuted in for Melbourne Stars' BBL season-opener at the Gabba on Wednesday
But Handscomb is determined to be in the right frame of mind should anything happen to an incumbent batsman. He spent time in the WACA nets on all five days of the third Test.
"You need to be there ready to go with your long-format, Test skills," he told reporters on Friday.
"Rather than going back and trying to slog the white ball around and potentially changing a few things in your game.
"It's good to stay around the squad and make sure I'm ready to go if called upon."
Handscomb had mixed feelings about his omission, admitting he couldn't fault the logic of wanting an allrounder on a flat WACA wicket.
"They were long fielding innings," he said, having claimed an astonishing catch as a substitute fielder to kickstart a game-changing collapse of 6-35 on day two in Perth.
"I can't bowl, Mitch can bowl.
"It sucks having to sit on the sidelines. I was frustrated to be left out but that's part of it and we won the Test and won the Ashes so there's no issues.
"I know how well I can play. I'm pretty confident I'll make runs if selected."
The Stars' next BBL clash is in Perth on Boxing Day, when Handscomb is expected to sit out again.
"It'd want to be a quick flight," he said.
Handscomb is the latest player to suffer from the Sheffield Shield mid-season hiatus, with the first-class competition now on hold until the BBL is run and won.
"This is the harsh reality of the schedule now. The players know that and accept it but it's not easy for someone on the fringes of the Test team," former opener Simon Katich said last week.
