David Warner insists he remains in form and full of confidence despite a lack of runs as former selector Mark Waugh labelled him a lock for the first Test of the summer.
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Warner will play his first game for Australia on home soil since the Cape Town scandal in Sunday's Twenty20 against Sri Lanka, but his focus remains partly on the red ball.
The opener has scored more than 20 just twice in his past 15 Test and state innings, with the only highlights being a half-century in the Ashes and a hundred against Queensland last week.
Despite having endured his toughest Test series in England where he averaged just 9.50, Warner reckoned he was still hitting the ball well before next month's series against Pakistan.
"I'm not out of form, just out of runs," Warner said at Thursday's Fox Cricket launch.
"I scored a hundred the other day at the Gabba, so for me it's about going out there and putting back-to-back performances on the board.
"My confidence is always high.
"Obviously it's the first time in my career I have been under a bit of pressure and I hadn't scored runs.
"We've got to come back here on home soil and score some runs and I did that in Queensland the other day."
Warner's return for Australia in the Twenty20 format over the next fortnight couldn't have come at a worse time.
He will miss NSW's next Shield match against South Australia as a result of the clashing schedules, and rush back for the last-round game before the November 21 Test.
"It's a little disappointing with the scheduling but we've had that for many years and can't do anything about that," Warner said.
"I play all three formats and I have to do put my best foot forward to what I do.
"I'm in the Twenty20 team and I have to participate in that."
Warner's form is one of several issues confounding selectors in the lead up to the first Test.
With two Shield rounds to play, no batsman has put their hand up to open or fill the No.6 roll.
Warner at least has runs on the board in Australia, with his average of 59.64 at home part of the reason why Waugh insists he should play at the Gabba.
"I would lock in four batsmen at the moment. David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Wade (for the first Test)," Waugh said.
"I know Davey hasn't scored the runs he would like but I was told his hundred was very good up in the Shield match up there back on home soil.
"I think he is a lock in. He will do well this summer and I would definitely have him in."
Australian Associated Press
