Josh Hazlewood will skip NSW's Sheffield Shield opener but the star paceman is adamant he will be cherry ripe for the first Ashes Test.
Hazlewood, who is recovering from a side strain, has been a near-constant presence in Australia's bowling attack in recent years.
Before returning home from the tour of Bangladesh, the reliable right-armer had played every Test since the 2015 Ashes in England.
But Hazlewood is suddenly the least-fit member of the pace attack. Mitchell Starc has returned successfully from his foot injury during the domestic one-day competition, while Pat Cummins has gone from strength to strength this year.
Hazlewood will miss the Blues' day-night clash later this month at Adelaide Oval.
He plans on playing rounds two and three of the Shield season before the five-Test series against England starts on November 23 in Brisbane.
"The side is really good. I've been off the full run the last three or four sessions, so getting back to 100 per cent. I'm probably about 85-90 per cent," Hazlewood said on Tuesday.
"The timing was a bit unfortunate but it's given me a chance to freshen up and get some good work in the gym and on the running track.
"I'm feeling nice and fit.
"It'll be good to put everything together in club cricket - bowl 10-12 overs; field for a couple of hours."
Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle were put on ice during the final Shield round before the 2013-14 Ashes, a decision that helped them play all five Tests during the 5-0 belting.
"You'd much rather play one or two (games), I guess, then freshen up in that third week," Hazlewood admitted at ASICS' season launch.
"But you can always just bowl a little bit less at training in those days leading into the Test.
"There's still a decent enough gap there."
Hazlewood has already picked the brains of Johnson, Harris and Siddle. The trio were all instrumental in the lopsided series that unfolded four years ago.
"It wasn't just all about Mitch. He obviously got the rewards but, on any other day, Ryano could have got the 30-odd wickets," he said.
"Gaz (offspinner Nathan Lyon) is obviously going to be key in that talk as well.
"Hopefully, we can mirror that ... keep that pressure building."
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