Chris Lynn is eyeing more time in the middle but admits a return to long-form cricket is still a year away as he battles his ongoing injury woes.
Lynn made 44 in his return to Australian colours on Saturday night in the rain-affected seven-wicket Twenty20 win over New Zealand, in what was just his sixth match in any level or format in seven months.
The 27-year-old has been dogged by shoulder, hamstring and calf concerns in the past year, with pre-season surgery prompting him to pass up a state contract at Queensland this summer.
But while he insists he hasn't given up on playing Test cricket or returning to Queensland in the Sheffield Shield, he admitted it still wouldn't be until next summer when he played red-ball cricket again.
"First up, I've got to get my body right. It hasn't been too kind to me," Lynn said.
"I'll probably pull up quite sore tomorrow - if I was to play a four-day Sheffield Shield game, playing day one that's fine, but there's no way I could back days two, three and four, and that's the worst feeling in the world.
"I'd rather just put it away for probably 12 months, I definitely wouldn't burn that bridge, still keep that door open, but It's on hold for now. I just want to play some cricket."
Lynn still looked every bit his damaging self on Saturday night.
Already setting his sights on playing a key role in Australia's home World T20 tournament in two years' time, he whacked six fours and one maximum in his 38-ball knock that put the Aussies in control of their chase of 95 with the bat.
"It's been a frustrating summer for me," he said.
"Although it wasn't a huge total I wanted to spend time in the middle ... That's one of my longest innings in a couple of months."
Lynn scored 20 of his first 21 runs in boundaries, as he vowed to follow the advice of captain David Warner and take his hard-hitting care-free approach from the Big Bash into the international arena at No.3.
"If anything you go out there and go harder because there might be a little bit more pressure but I'll have great fun doing it," he said.
"That's my game and I'm comfortable doing that. I know if I get through that powerplay with runs under my belt then I can build my innings."
