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England captain Joe Root admits James Pattinson looms as a big threat throughout the Ashes, starting with the first Test at Edgbaston.

England are bracing for a fired-up James Pattinson to deliver his best during an Ashes comeback the paceman has spent six years waiting for.

Pattinson has not faced England in a Test since breaking down during the 2013 Ashes tour, the start of an injury-cursed run.

But the 29-year-old, who hasn't represented Australia since a Test tour of New Zealand in February 2016, is now fit as a fiddle and has been in England since April.

Pattinson had a county stint with Nottinghamshire then linked up with Australia A before being named in the 17-man Test squad.

The right-armer has already made a big impression on some of England's batsmen, who he will be targeting in the first Test that starts in Birmingham at 8pm AEST on Thursday.

"I faced him in 2013, which is a long time ago now, and again in a county cricket one-day game a few years back now," captain Joe Root said.

"It'll be interesting to see how he goes throughout this series. It can't always be easy coming back into a team when there are obviously those question marks about your fitness.

"But he's played extremely well in their warm-up game, by looking at the figures and all the rest of it.

"He knows the conditions, having played for Notts as well. He's obviously a very talented player."

Joe Denly, who has been demoted to No.4 in England's new-look batting order that has Root at first drop, is one batsman to have enjoyed some county success against Pattinson.

The Victorian trapped Denly lbw for eight in a first-innings haul of 6-73 during the clash at Tunbridge Wells but the right-hander scored 167 not out in his second innings to help Kent prevail.

"He's quite a fiery competition. That is probably the right word for him, he's competitive," Denly said of Pattinson, who isn't afraid to give batsmen a spray.

"He runs in hard and challenges you around off stump at good pace ... it was a reasonably slow deck on one of our out-grounds and he still hit the bat hard on a pretty flat surface.

"It was nice to spend some time out there and face him quite a bit. I'm looking forward to facing him again."

Brett Lee, who threatened to drag Australia to victory in the epic 2005 Test at Edgbaston, believes Pattinson "can be dangerous" at the ground.

"He has a beautiful action, he swings the ball away and in England he has had some success," Lee told Macquarie Sports Radio.