Trott says he's ready for Ashes return

Former England batsman Jonathan Trott says he's ready to confront his demons - and Mitchell Johnson - when Ashes hostilities resume in the UK later this year.

Trott has been absent from the England set-up since he returned home from their tour of Australia early last summer, citing stress and burnout from the ever-increasing workload of international cricket.

His exit came in the wake of England's loss in the first Test at the Gabba, where Trott was twice dismissed to a short ball from Johnson, who five months earlier had struck the right-hander on the helmet during a one-day international at Edgbaston.

Having taken a break from the game, Trott returned to county cricket with Warwickshire and most recently the England Lions, his double century for the Lions in South Africa last month the latest sign that he's lost none of the ability that steered him to over 6500 international runs, including 13 hundreds and 40 half-centuries.

He's now targeting a return to England's Test side in time for the five-match Ashes series in July and August, where he'd undoubtedly face another short-ball attack from Johnson and Australia's feared pace attack.

But Trott insists he has no score to settle with Johnson in particular, and says his opening partner Ryan Harris is a more dangerous prospect than the fiery left-armer. 

"I want to," Trott told The Guardian when asked if he was ready for a return bout with Johnson and the Australians.

"I need to. I want to get back out there.

"It’s not anything to do with one individual, it’s not an agenda, I want to go out and score runs against Australia.

"You’ve got to be able to face (Ryan) Harris, (Mitchell) Starc, all the guys. I think Harris is a fantastic bowler, a better bowler than Johnson even."

If Trott is both clear of mind and full of runs come July, he would be one of the leading contenders for selection in the first Ashes Test at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. 

Just where he'd sit in the batting order is a far more complicated matter.

Left-hander Gary Ballance has slipped seamlessly into the No.3 position vacated by Trott, scoring three centuries and three half-centuries last English summer as part of a solid middle order that also included Ian Bell, Joe Root and allrounder Moeen Ali.

Trott could therefore be a contender to open the batting alongside captain Alastair Cook, with the position of incumbent opener Sam Robson under threat at the end of last English summer.

Like most players desperate to force their way into the Test side, Trott turned to a well-used cliché when asked where he'd like to bat in the order.

“I just want to play again,” he says.

“If I was asked to open then I’d open.

"I’d never really batted at No.3 before but they asked me to and I did quite well there.

"The difference between three and opening is not that much, you can go in second ball.

"I think Sam (Robson) is a very good player. (Yorkshire's) Adam Lyth is a good player. So it’ll be interesting to see where they go.”