Master blaster Chris Lynn admits he didn't play his natural game in Australia's recent white-ball campaign and hopes the Brisbane Heat captaincy will help him regain his mojo.
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Lynn said he was distracted by "outside noise" in his underwhelming one-day and Twenty20 stints against South Africa and India this summer.
Going into Wednesday night's Big Bash League season opener against defending champions Adelaide Strikers, he is confident that will no longer be a problem now he has resumed the Heat captaincy from teammate Brendon McCullum.
"I probably didn't play my own game. It's a different environment, there was outside noise," Lynn said of his international stint.
"But the best players put that aside and I am definitely working on that."
The last time Lynn was Brisbane skipper in 2015-16 he was named BBL player of the tournament.
The 28-year-old believed regaining the Heat captaincy would be the spark he needed to make national selectors sit up and take notice before next month's ODI series against India and the 2019 World Cup.
"I like being accountable (as captain). Hopefully I can replicate that same season I did as captain," Lynn said ahead of the Gabba clash.
"The challenge for me now is to score runs in the Big Bash and put my name back in for Aussie selection.
"Every year is a bit more pressure, with social media and a lot of hype but... it's about leading the boys well and if I do that I know the runs will come."
Lynn, fellow "Bash Brother" McCullum, ex-Test opener Joe Burns and teenager Max Bryant will bring the batting firepower for 2012-13 BBL champions Brisbane, who finished second-last last season.
The Heat's attack will be led by new recruits, ex-Test quick James Pattinson and 17-year-old Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman - the BBL's youngest player.
Adelaide's attack boasts Queenslanders Billy Stanlake and Michael Neser plus Test seamer Peter Siddle and last year's BBL leading wicket-taker, Afghan legspinner Rashid Khan.
The Strikers will be skippered by South Africa's Colin Ingram in the absence of Travis Head (Test duty).
Heat squad: Chris Lynn (capt), Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Brendan Doggett, Sam Heazlett, Josh Lalor, Brendon McCullum, James Pattinson, James Peirson, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Strikers squad: Colin Ingram (capt), Alex Carey, Rashid Khan, Ben Laughlin, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Liam O'Connor, Matthew Short, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Cameron Valente, Jake Weatherald, Jon Wells.
Australian Associated Press
