Kurtis Patterson still holds hope of playing more Test cricket and believes he could do the job anywhere in the batting order during Australia's record-breaking busy 12 months.
It's a bittersweet week for Patterson, who will make his 100th Sheffield Shield appearance for NSW only days after it was announced coach Greg Shipperd will leave after this season.
Becoming only the sixth man to reach the milestone for NSW, too, is enough to give Patterson slight mixed feelings.
"As a cricketer, you're always tormented, you always wish there were a few less Shield games and a few more Tests in there," the tall left-hander said.
"But I grew up idolising this cricket team and to play 100 games is something I never thought of.
"I'm really, really proud to be able to tick it off this week."
Both of Patterson's Tests came in the 2018/2019 summer, before being squeezed out of the XI through form concerns and the return of Steve Smith and David Warner from suspension
His unbeaten 114 runs in his second Test gave Patterson the quirky distinction of holding the highest average of any Test player to have been dismissed at least once: 144.
After being dropped by NSW in the 2023/24 summer, he bounced back to re-enter Test selection calculations for the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
He ultimately missed out, but remained in the mix playing for Australia A against England Lions and Sri Lanka A last year.
"My motivations for playing are different than what they were (but) obviously the goal of getting back to playing Test cricket is still absolutely there," Patterson said.
"I think I have tuned in more to finding enjoyment in the other stuff and finding enjoyment in the challenge."
A historically busy 12 months beginning against Bangladesh in August could play into Patterson's hands.
Squad depth will be paramount as Australia plays up to 21 Tests between that Bangladesh series and the end of the 2027 Ashes the following winter.
With questions lingering over batting order following Usman Khawaja's retirement, Patterson feels confident batting anywhere in the order if called upon.
The 32-year-old made both his Test appearances at No.6 but counts first drop as his preferred spot and has opened in white-ball cricket.
"If that opportunity were to come, I'd grab it with both hands, if it was one to six, no complaining on my end," he said.
Patterson hit half-centuries in his last two Shield matches before the Test break and will need to continue shining as NSW plays at least four more this summer.
When the first of those begins against South Australia at the SCG on Thursday, Patterson will join Phil Emery, Moises Henriques, Greg Matthews, Geoff Lawson and Peter Nevill in making 100 Shield appearances for NSW.
