Scott Boland hopes to build momentum before India Test series

Scott Boland says the foot injury that ruined his English summer was a “blessing in disguise” as he launches into a new campaign with Test aspirations still firmly in place.

The 35-year-old quick will return for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield on Sunday in a squad that does not include Glenn Maxwell despite a brief window of availability for the all-rounder to play red-ball cricket.

Victorian captain Will Sutherland was also named to face NSW after he bowled 15 overs and scored an unbeaten century in a second XI clash this week.

Maxwell, who is gunning for a Test spot on Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka in February, returned scores of 14 and 10 in his rare second XI appearance, but the Vics said he was not considered for selection along with Matthew Short due to the ODI series beginning in a fortnight against Pakistan.

It is understood both Maxwell and Short are likely to face NSW in the subsequent One-Day Cup game at the Junction Oval next Friday.

Boland will play his first professional match since he was hurt in his opening game for county side Durham in April against an NSW side stacked with Test stars Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc.

“I’m really looking forward to it. I feel like it’s been a pretty long pre-season, but I’m keen to get back into it on Sunday,” Boland said on Friday.

“I hurt my foot in England, first game for Durham, and then got that right. (But) when I started reloading with bowling again, I had a little niggle in my knee, so it’s taken a little bit longer than I would’ve hoped.

“Looking at the bigger picture, I’ve still got plenty of time to get into the season. I planned to have a really big winter of playing cricket at Durham, but I think it’s a bit of a blessing in disguise that I came home early, was able to get my body right and prepare for the summer.”

Boland has been a mainstay in the Australian Test squad but has gone 15 months without adding to his 10 caps after Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins played through the entirety of last summer, including March’s tour of New Zealand.

Boland said he wanted to avoid thinking further ahead than the upcoming Shield game and a potential Australia A appearance but had remained in constant contact with the national selectors and coach Andrew McDonald.

“(The selectors) have been really good, as they’ve been the last few years. My communication with them and Ronnie has just been to get my body right to put myself in a position where I can perform,” he said.

“First game back, there’s probably going to be a little bit of rust, but that’s OK – I know that once I get into my work, it’ll be maybe one spell of rust, then hopefully I’m into my work and bowling really well again.

“I’m pretty confident, I’ve done so much work on my body the last four or five months. I should be able to withstand anything that a Shield game presents.”

Sheffield Shield squads, Victoria v NSW, MCG, October 20-23

Victoria: Will Sutherland (c), Scott Boland, Ash Chandrasinghe, Sam Elliott, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper (wk), Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Cam McClure, Jono Merlo, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Tom Rogers.

NSW: Moises Henriques (c), Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards, Sam Konstas, Nathan Lyon, Nic Maddinson, Jack Nisbet, Josh Philippe (wk), Tanveer Sangha, Steve Smith, Mitchel Starc.