James Pattinson looks forward to playing back-to-back Tests after successful Ashes comeback

The 29-year-old fast bowler played his first international cricket since 2016 at Edgbaston and Headingley during Australia's drawn series with England this summer

James Pattinson hopes Australia's upcoming home series against Pakistan will allow him to play back-to-back Test matches for the first time in four years.

The Victorian fast bowler has played just 19 Tests since debuting in 2011, with a string of stress fractures keeping him out of international reckoning after taking six New Zealand wickets in the final game of Australia's 2016 tour.

However, having returned injury-free from the recent Ashes series after playing two Tests and two red-ball tour games, the 29-year-old is optimistic Australia's upcoming fixtures against Pakistan and New Zealand will allow him the opportunity to become a more regular fixture in the side once again.

"When I got back from England, I didn't know what to do because usually I'd be nursing a stress fracture," Pattinson said.

"The next process for me now is, if I do get the chance in the Test arena, is the chance to play more back-to-back cricket now.

"I've been injury-free for the best part of a year now and the body is feeling good. Hopefully that's the next progression."

Pattinson, who also appeared in three County Championship and seven One-Day Cup matches for Nottinghamshire during the English summer, underwent career-saving surgery on his back in 2017.

He added: "To rock up, have four days off and bowl again – I was like, 'what's this all about?'

"It's things like that where you pinch yourself and go, 'this is good, things are starting to line up a little bit'.

"Still not being 30 yet, I've still got a lot of cricket left."

^{Pattinson has five wickets at 40.79 from his first two Sheffield Shield matches of the season}

In 2013, the seamer reached a peak of 17 in the ICC Test bowling rankings after taking five wickets in his first innings in India.

However, no fewer than 10 seamers have received maiden Test call-ups since Pattinson made his debut alongside Mitchell Starc and David Warner in 2011, and competition is fierce for a place in the side to play the first Test in Brisbane later this month.

Queensland's Michael Neser has impressed with 15 wickets from the opening three rounds of the Sheffield Shield season, and he lines up alongside fellow uncapped pacemen Sean Abbott and Riley Meredith in an Australia A XI playing a tour game against Pakistan in Perth this week.

"We've got a lot of fast bowlers up at the moment, which is great for Australian cricket," said Pattinson, who is set to play his third Shield game of the season starting Tuesday against Queensland.

"All anyone can do is go out there and do their best for the team they're playing in."