Star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is still holding out hope of a Test recall in the new year as a four-Test tour to India looms.
Maxwell's entire summer was thrown under a cloud late last week when he broke his leg in a freak accident while attending a 50th birthday party.
The all-rounder was set to play plenty of cricket this summer in both his role as captain of the Melbourne Stars, and with the Victorian team throughout the Sheffield Shield and one-day cup.
Maxwell, who has played seven Tests for Australia, has spoken openly and honestly about the desire to return to the Test set up during next year's Border-Gavaskar trophy, to be played in February and March following the completion of the home summer.
Any chance of a recall would likely have required a weight of runs this summer for Maxwell, however, the broken leg may well put paid to that.
Despite that, Stars coach David Hussey said Maxwell is yet to give up on the dream of a recall, and could yet be available by the back end of the BBL if his recovery goes to plan.
"Speaking to Glenn directly, he's pretty hopeful of getting back towards the end of the BBL tournament and then targeting the Indian Test tour," Hussey told RSN Radio in Melbourne.
"Everyone knows what a wonderful player of spin he is and he has Indian experience.
"There's a few goals for him to obtain and that makes the rehabilitation process more focused – so he can try and achieve those goals."
Australian coach Andrew McDonald said that the timeline will be tight for Maxwell to push his case, although his prior record on the sub-continent meant he would remain at the forefront of selectors' minds.
"All has gone well with the surgery so it's looking like he'll be on track for (a return) later in the summer, which is great news for Glenn, but a lot of rehab to go through (before then)," the coach said.
"He was on track to play one of his first red-ball games for a while (and) for the one-day team, his role at No.7, the overs that he gives, the three dimensions, really takes something away from our team.
"It'll be really about how he can settle the pain, start his rehab and then if everything goes well the timeframe is realistic.
"They haven't got a definitive timeframe, they always give you a bracket of weeks.
"So there is somewhere in that the opportunity, potentially, to push his case."
Maxwell isn't the only Victorian targeting a Test return, with last year's leading Sheffield Shield run-scorer Peter Handscomb also an expert player of spin bowling and not yet giving up on his own return to Australia's red ball team.
Australia play five Tests at home this summer with two against the West Indies and three against South Africa, before touring India for four Tests and England for five ahead of the ODI World Cup next October and November.
