England all-rounder sets sight on Test comeback for the Ashes

For the 31-year-old, the past year has been one where he has had to climb his way back up in the English cricket pyramid.

Missing out on last year's ICC Men's T20 World Cup owing to an injury has lent Overton a fresh perspective, and the all-rounder is now keen on making the most of his career, eyeing a spot in the Test squad for the Ashes later this year.

"I am in a better place now for being injured. It actually gave me time to reassess what I need to do with my health," Overton told ESPNcricinfo, as quoted from the official website of ICC.

Making a case for himself for the five-Test series in Australia, Overton added, "Ashes cricket is probably the pinnacle for English players, and I feel like I've got a decent record on Australian pitches.

"It probably suits my game more than wickets back in England - but I'm not expecting anything," he said.

Overton, however, admitted that vying for a spot in the Ben Stokes-led Test side will take some doing.

"I need to play red-ball cricket to give myself a chance of being there, so we'll just see where we get to when I'm back home," said the all-rounder, who is currently part of the Chennai Super Kings squad in IPL 2025.

"I bowled ten overs in the Afghanistan game (at the Champions Trophy), but I've not bowled more than that in a day since last April," he added.

"It's going to take a lot to get the body back to those bowling workloads, and we'll just see where we go and play it by ear," he noted.

"It's a short career, so you've got to maximise it while keeping your body in a good place," he said.

Overton was part of the England squad during this year's ICC Champions Trophy, where the Jos Buttler-led side were knocked out of the group stage without a win from their three games.

With five ODI and 12 T20I outings under his belt for the national team, Overton will be among those contesting for a spot in the upcoming home summer that features the likes of West Indies, South Africa and Ireland touring for white-ball series.

For the all-rounder, an opportunity in the red-ball squad might also present itself with a one-off match against Zimbabwe in May, followed by a marquee five-Test match series against India starting in June. (ANI)