Nathan Lyon's quest to prove himself ahead of the World Cup starts with a rare cameo for the Sydney Sixers, beginning on Sunday.
Just under four months out from the World Cup and the Australian off-spinner is far from assured of being on the plane to England.
After a two-year absence from the ODI side, he returned against India last month, but was dropped for the final game.
He has received assurances he remains in Justin Langer's plans and is in the 15-man touring squad for the series in India starting on February 24, along with Adam Zampa.
But he's been in this position before, only to miss out on a World Cup berth.
He was overlooked for Australia's successful 2015 World Cup campaign despite taking on Pakistan four months earlier.
And so his quest to prove himself with the white ball starts at the MCG on Sunday when the Sixers take on the Melbourne Stars in a crunch crash which will have big ramifications on the finals.
"Our next red ball game is the next (Ashes) Test so it's an exciting opportunity," Lyon said.
"My World Cup campaign, my selection starts here on Sunday, I just need to keep putting in good performances and continue playing my role whatever side I'm in."
The Sixers can lock up a home BBL semi-final with a win over the Stars and Lyon has guaranteed he will be available for the entirety of the side's finals campaign.
"I'll be fine, I'll be ready to go. Hopefully three games for the Sixers," Lyon said.
There's a sense of unfinished business for Lyon having been a part of the Sixers' final losses to the Perth Scorchers in 2015 and 2017.
He hasn't played for the franchise all season, because of national commitments, but will form a formidable spin partnership with Steve O'Keefe - the competition's third-leading wicket-taker.
"You want to win every competition you play. No one likes losing," Lyon said.
"There 's a massive carrot at the end of this week. The guys have been going fantastic and if we win down in Melbourne we lock in a home semi-final."
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