I feel pleased knowing that I can be picked for the Ashes series, says James Pattinson

Australia are currently gearing up for what promises to be a tough Ashes 2019 series as coach Justin Langer narrows down on his squad to take on newly-crowned World Champions - England. Tim Paine & Co. will take on the three lions in the as they open their campaign in England on August 1.

James Pattinson, who last played in a Test match for Australia in 2016, revealed that he is back to his full fitness now after a gap of three years and ready to fight for a place in the playing eleven with Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins.

"One and a half year back, I was sitting and contemplating whether to get back surgery. There was a month there in which I was in a bit of unknown. Some sort of conjecture around whether I would get back to playing cricket. After going through all that, it is pleasing that I am here bowling and in a position to be picked for the Ashes series.

"Ideal situation for the selectors will be for the players to come in and do the job at any given time. I can play a different role, but over the years I have been able to come on and take wickets at any time so I suppose the selectors are looking for bowlers who can do a bit of that and bowlers who can bowl economically as well," Pattinson was quoted as saying to Cricbuzz sources.

Pattinson enjoyed a successive time with Nottinghamshire where he shared the dressing room with England fast bowler Stuart Broad, someone who the Australian will look to imitate in the 2019 Ashes series.

"I have been here for 3 months in Nottingham so I have got enough cricket over here. It is probably fantastic for someone like me who hasn't played a lot of cricket in the last couple of years.

Pattinson is also keen to replicate James Anderson and Stuart Broad's plan by pitching it one area and trying not to give away boundary balls. He believes Anderson and Broad are always challenging the defence and he would try to do the same.

"It's pretty simple, you get wickets that can assist you and you get wickets that are quite flat so, to have the ability to bowl on a flat wicket or a wicket that's seaming around hopefully I can do that. It's pretty simple over here you try to hit the same area. You look at Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson, they are always challenging the batsman, challenging the defence," Pattinson added.