Victorian captain Cameron White could not have picked a better time to walk back into the Bushrangers squad.
Away in India on national duty, White has not played a game this summer for Victoria, which sits on top of the Sheffield Shield table and second in the Ford Ranger Cup competition.
The top-of-the-table Shield clash with Western Australia in Perth starting on Friday will be White's first for the Bushrangers this season.
White could have played in last week's Shield win over Tasmania but after consulting Victorian and Australian team management decided to sit the game out in order to be fresh for the state's assignments in Perth and next month's trip to India for the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League.
''The main reason behind it was because we've just got no time after this game, I could have pushed through this game if we had a bit of time afterwards, but we haven't," White said.
Remaining focused on the two matches in Perth would be difficult, White conceded, ahead of the Twenty20 Champions League tournament.
White said the clash with Western Australia was vital for the Bushrangers, who can move as far as 10 points clear on top of the table with back-to-back outright wins.
''They're a strong side - they've got all their bowlers up and running and they have strong batters," he said. "If we can win that one it would give us a nice little break on the others."
White's return has already seen promising left-arm spinner Jon Holland make way.
But the captain said he was looking forward to the chance of one day bowling in tandem with Holland.
''It is unfortunate if that's the way it pans out because he's done bloody well. He's proved himself and was probably unlucky not to play last season," he said.
"He's come back from a shoulder injury, done well - I think he's a very good bowler. So hopefully at some stage we can both get into the same side together."