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T20 specialist AJ Tye will return from an elbow injury on Australia's tour of England, having missed the entire 2019-20 summer.

AJ Tye broke down in tears after suffering an elbow injury last year, fearing it could end his international career and hopes of playing a home Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.

Tye doesn't have a national or state contract and still hasn't played, outside a bit of grade cricket in Perth, since hurting his elbow during a fielding drill last October at Adelaide Oval.

But the 33-year-old is fully fit and back in favour with national selectors, having been picked in the 21-man squad that will fly out for a tour of England on Sunday.

"It was a tough summer watching a lot of cricket and not playing. Being frustrated at the injury, which wasn't coming along quite as quickly as it could," the fast bowler recalled.

"When I first did it was definitely the toughest, I broke down on the phone crying to my partner.

"I'd worked so hard to get back in the team and then this happened."

The sport's COVID-19 hiatus meant more time on the sidelines for the T20 specialist, delaying this year's Indian Premier League.

But the enforced break has given Tye an ideal chance to get his body right, while the postponement of the 2020 World Cup means he as an additional year to lock down his spot in the first-choice T20 side.

"I would have been fully fit (if the IPL started in April as scheduled) ... it was just the throwing I was a bit wary of," the West Australian said.

"The boundary stuff I was a bit worried about.

"It's now at a stage where I can field anywhere again.

"In that way it's a bit of a silver lining ... it's given me a real good chance to make sure my body is in the best shape it can be."

Tye has also tweaked his action, noting "my bowling feels the best it ever has".