Injured Australia captain Michael Clarke will arrive in the United Arab Emirates five days ahead of the rest of the Test squad as he races to be fit for the two-match series against Pakistan.
The 33-year-old blamed training directly after a long-haul flight for an injury to his left hamstring in Zimbabwe last month.
Clarke, who subsequently aggravated the injury in a One-day match against the African team, has already been ruled out of the ODI component of the Middle Eastern tour and remains a doubt to be fit for the first Test in Dubai on October 22.
Clarke said he would fly to the Emirates on September 30 to continue his rehabilitation and was working with team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris to change his fitness regime in a bid to prevent further breakdowns.
"There's probably six or seven things we've discussed and it will take some time to work out if they work, don't work or if they're a waste of time," Clarke said on Cricket Australia's website (cricket.com.au).
"It's going to take some time to work out what's perfect for me but we believe getting there (the UAE) a couple of days before everybody else and allowing my body to acclimatise and recover after a long plane flight is a good start.
"So I'm flying over on the 30th to give myself every opportunity to be fit and if I thought I wasn't going to be fit (for the first Test) I wouldn't even get on that plane.
"In overall terms, I feel as fit and as healthy as I've ever felt and I'm only 33 so I feel I've got a lot of cricket left in my body."
Clarke declined to declare himself a certain starter for the first Test but dismissed suggestions from pundits that he should consider giving up one-day cricket to prolong his career.
"I know there's been some talk about whether I should walk away from One-day cricket or how long I can play for, but I've had my back issues since I was 17 and I've managed to miss only one Test match out of 105 through my career," he added.
"I've also missed a few one-dayers but touch wood, to date I haven't missed any major tournaments.
"It's all part of playing sport at the highest level.
"You're going to get injured and it's about making sure you do the work to get back on the park, and while I've still got that drive to do that work and the love of the game I've got, I see no reason to consider walking away.
"You get a little kick in the guts, but you've got to get up and go again.
"It's not going to be the last injury I have."
Hilfenhaus looking to make mark on comeback
Meanwhile, workhorse bowler Ben Hilfenhaus is ready to make a memorable Test return.
Two years is a long time to spend in the international freezer, so paceman Hilfenhaus is keen to stake his claim on the sun-baked pitches of the Middle East when Australia take on Pakistan in a Test series next month.
Once an automatic pick in the team's pace brigade, the 31-year-old bricklayer has been on the outer since the home summer of 2012, when he picked up a side injury bowling against Sri Lanka in his home state of Tasmania.
As young up-and-comers like left-armer Mitchell Starc and Jackson Bird helped bowl Australia to victory in the series, Hilfenhaus was left stranded on 99 Test wickets.
With an average of 28.50 from 27 Tests, Hilfenhaus had done little wrong in his four years at the top level, barring an underwhelming Ashes series in 2010-11 that, for many Australians, left the blackest mark on his resume.
But the return of big-hearted Ryan Harris and the rehabilitation of fellow quick Mitchell Johnson last season left even less space in the dressing room.
The wheel of fortune has turned again, however, and with Australia losing injury-prone all-rounder Shane Watson to yet another calf strain, Hilfenhaus is in line for a comeback few thought possible.
"I had a call from Rod Marsh yesterday telling me the exciting news," Hilfenhaus told Cricket Australia's website (cricket.com.au) on Monday, referring to Australia's head of selectors.
"Obviously it's disappointing for Watto not being available, but I'm very happy to get another chance at the next level.
"I know that if I get back bowling to the way I was a couple of years ago then it's hopefully going to be good enough to get another crack at that level.
"It's unfortunate for the blokes that are currently injured, but it's given me another opportunity."
With Ryan Harris sidelined as he recovers from knee surgery and James Pattinson taking a cautious approach to a back injury, Australia will likely lean on left-armer Johnson and Peter Siddle to spearhead the attack, leaving Hilfenhaus to battle Starc for the third spot.
A more parsimonious bowler than Starc, Hilfenhaus may be able to press his claims in a tour match ahead of the first Test which starts on Oct. 22 in Dubai.
Hilfenhaus has proved his worth as both a workhorse able to give the front-line seamers a rest and as an effective wet blanket to smother a free-scoring batting partnership.
Currently in India, he will hope to show form on subcontinental pitches, which may offer similar conditions to the wickets in the United Arab Emirates.
"Any time you get an opportunity to play on these subcontinent wickets you make the most of them, so to get the chance before that tour is, hopefully, beneficial," said Hilfenhaus, who can swing the ball both ways.
"Reverse swing is probably going to be a factor (in the UAE) I would have thought and there's probably not going to be a lot of pace in the wicket.
"They're things that we've come across before and we just have to make sure we have good plans to accommodate those conditions."
