James Faulkner sets his sights on earning Test recall

With Australia’s Test team currently in the midst of a 3-match series against Sri Lanka, James Faulkner has expressed regret in missing out on the 15-man squad for touring the island nation.

In a free-wheeling chat with reporters at Hobart, Faulkner admitted that he needs to convince the selectors with strong red-ball performances during the forthcoming Sheffield Shield season in order to further his Test chances.

He revealed, “I'd definitely like to be in Sri Lanka, I'd definitely like to play Test cricket again. But as I've said all along, it's all in my hands and the ball is in my court. It's about scoring runs and taking wickets and this season I'm available for the majority of the four-day (Sheffield Shield) competition. So it's getting my body right and put some big performances on the board, that's what I'm after.”

Mainly seen as a limited-overs specialist, Faulkner’s only Test appearance came way back in 2013 against arch-rivals England at The Oval. With Mitchell Marsh grabbing his opportunities in whites, the left-arm seamer has his task cut out.

But, he remained confident about his skills and hoped, “If I can play well in these half-dozen games in Shield cricket there's no reason I can't play (Tests) again. But that's up to me.”

Named Man of the Match in the 2015 World Cup final, the all rounder acknowledged the difficulties of being a modern day cricketer wherein balancing all three formats could be incredibly strenuous.

Faulkner felt, “It's hard when you come into play one or two games then you're back to white-ball cricket where it's a different game. That's just the way it is being an all-rounder when you play all three formats. I want to play all three formats, I have to find a way to adjust.”

The 26-year old added, “I'm still learning as well – how to get that right balance going between the red ball, the T20, back to one-day games, and traveling, and making sure I'm in decent physical nick as well.”