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James Pattinson will return from a rest for Victoria's Sheffield Shield match against Queensland as he tries to force his way back into the Test side.

Australian paceman James Pattinson was asked when he has had such an injury-free run in his international cricket career.

"Probably never," he said.

The 29-year-old is relishing the success of the spinal surgery in late 2017 that was the last resort for the injury-plagued quick.

Pattinson now has gone the better part of a year without an enforced break.

While he is returning from a rest for Tuesday's Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at the MCG, these days it is about management rather than recovery.

"It's fantastic - when I got back from England, I didn't know what to do," he said of this year's Ashes series.

"I'd usually be nursing a stress fracture or something like that.

"So to rock up and have four days off and bowl again, 'what's this all about?'.

"Just things like that, where you pinch yourself a little bit and think 'oh, this is good' - things are starting to line up a little bit."

The aim now is more back-to-back Tests.

Pattinson's injury problems have restricted his cricket horizons.

"Every time I play a Test, I'd like one more after that," he said.

Pattinson was left out of the last two Tests of the successful Ashes tour and faces plenty of competition to force his way back into the Australian pace attack.

"It's been spoken about before - we have a lot of fast bowlers up and about, which is great for Australian cricket," he said.

"All everyone can do is just go and do their best for the team they're playing in.

"We (Victoria) desperately need a win and hopefully I can help towards that."

The Shield game will also be Victoria's first match at the MCG this summer and all eyes will be on the much-maligned centre square.

Adding to the pressure on the ground staff, last month's Shield draw with SA at the Junction Oval was a run-fest debacle and the cement-like pitch was the key factor.

"If we can have some pace and carry in there, it will be a big thing," he said.

"Sometimes with the drop ins (pitches), it's hard bending your back all the time to get some bounce and carry through to the 'keeper.

"Unfortunately we had that in the first Shield game, where we were bowling bouncers and it was bouncing to the 'keeper."

"As a fast bowler with a sore back, it's not ideal."