The nerves in his injury-plagued back have finally settled.
But Michael Clarke reckons the ones in his stomach will soon be churning, saying he will be as nervous as when he played for Australia in his Sydney grade cricket comeback this weekend.
The former Australian captain will play his first match since his 2015 post-Ashes Test retirement when he strides out for Western Suburbs in a two-day grade game starting on Saturday.
Clarke, 34, claimed his troublesome back that was once prone to pinched nerves and a bulging disc had never felt better.
However, some things haven't changed.
"Come Saturday I will be just as nervous as when I walked out to bat for Australia," he told Sky Sports Radio.
"My nerves or pressure that I put on myself does not change whether I am playing for Australia, NSW or Western Suburbs.
"That's a big part of what you miss when you walk away from the game.
"There's nothing like walking out to bat.
"That feeling sometimes make you sick in the stomach.
"When you are in it you look forward to it ending and when it is taken away you do miss it."
Clarke admitted he had been wincing while training in the nets with Western Suburbs in the past fortnight - but not due to his back.
Clarke claimed to have had trouble "hitting them off the square" as he prepared for his much hyped return.
Clarke said he could count on his hand how many times he played cricket without discomfort during his career.
However, Clarke said his body was now "in a great place".
"I hate saying this because you are always asking for trouble but I can't remember a time in my career when it felt this good," he said.
"Definitely time away from cricket has helped me.
"My body is in a great place, doesn't mean I will walk out there and be able to perform.
"It doesn't mean I will walk out on the field and not have pain.
"(But) I am looking forward to getting out there."
Clarke reiterated that a successful grade return could lead to a stint in Twenty20 competitions around the world.
"If that (grade return) goes well and when I am actually out there I miss it as much as I think, my focus will be on the shorter format," he said, again stamping out international comeback speculation.
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