Pace star Jhye Richardson is confident he'll be back in Sheffield Shield action before Christmas as he inches his way towards reviving his Test career.
A frustrated Richardson has been beset by shoulder and soft tissue injuries in recent years, and is in the midst of completing a meticulously-planned Cricket Australia (CA) program that aims to build his resilience.
The 28-year-old hasn't played a first-class match in almost a year, and he was overlooked for WA's current Shield clash with Tasmania in Hobart.
Richardson's bowling loads have been heavily restricted in recent months - mostly confined to one-day matches - but some more shackles will be released when he plays a second XI match against NSW at Scotch College in Perth from Monday.
WA have three more Shield games before the competition goes on break for the BBL, and Richardson is on track to appear in at least one of them.
"Absolutely. That's the goal for me - getting back to red-ball cricket," Richardson said on Friday.
"It's been a different build-up for me this pre-season, it's been a little bit slower than usual, just to try to build up a bit of resilience again.
"It has been a little bit frustrating. But the communication was that I'd probably feel ready to go but then have this slower process, which is fine.
"I'm comfortable with that at the moment.
"Obviously Test cricket for me is the goal, so I hope to get back there again soon."
Richardson burst onto the Test scene in 2019 with figures of 3-26 and 2-19 in his debut against Sri Lanka.
But injuries have restricted him to just two more Tests since then, the most recent being in 2021 when he claimed 5-42 against England.
Richardson hopes the slow-but-long approach CA are taking with him will pay off in the long run.
"I haven't stopped bowling since coming back from the IPL," Richardson said.
"It's (about) that resilience, trying to build back-to-back bowls, back-to-back games.
"As for what it looks like, (I've got the) second XI next week. I've got a bigger work load, sort of introducing myself back to a proper red ball hit-out.
"And then playing the one-dayers and building back up to Shield cricket."
