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No place quite like home for impressive Inglis

Josh Inglis says his time with the Australian squad during the T20 World Cup and Ashes series helped him immediately feel at home in his international cricket debut

While Josh Inglis immediately looked and felt at home in international cricket, the Western Australian can barely remember what that is.

The bond between him and Marcus Stoinis, who presented Inglis with men's T20I cap No.99 ahead of Australia's series-opening victory over Sri Lanka on Friday, has only been reinforced by the shared pain of being barred from returning to their home city, Perth.

Inglis, who voiced his despair last month when WA pushed back the promised reopening of its border, has spent just three-and-a-half weeks out of the past nine months in his own bed due to WA's restrictive border rules.

Stoinis has not been back since leaving for the T20 World Cup more than four months ago.

Apprenticeship eases the step up for debutant Inglis

"It's tough having the carpet getting pulled out from underneath you," Inglis told cricket.com.au. "You get that date in mind to plan around it and see family and friends.

"When it all changed it was tough. I'm not the only one … There's plenty of us who haven't been back into Perth but you've just got to get on with it."

Get on with it he has.

Inglis so impressed teammates and selectors as a reserve during the World Cup and Ashes campaigns that he was picked to bat at No.3 on debut despite a lean Big Bash campaign.

His 79 off 49 in the Qualifier final against the Sydney Sixers proved crucial in the Perth Scorchers' valiant KFC BBL crown (which teammate Ashton Agar said Inglis celebrated "about as hard as anyone") but that knock marked his only score above 30 all summer.

Coming into last night's match the 26-year-old was averaging 17 from 13 innings this season, but his teammates have noted that an even temperament has long been one of his main assets.

"When he started playing for WA he came in with a maturity far beyond his years," Agar told Fox Cricket. "I have him behind the stumps in Perth as well. He's a smart cricketer and he looks really calm."

Inglis' rough trot was a notable drop-off from the red-hot vein of form he carried through last summer's domestic season and into stints with Leicestershire and London Spirit in the United Kingdom.

Hazlewood takes best T20I figures in Australia

It was enough to vault him into Australia's T20 World Cup-winning squad ahead of Alex Carey and Josh Philippe.

"I hadn't scored the runs I'd have liked during the BBL," the Leeds-born wicketkeeper said. "I struggled for rhythm – I was in and out and dragged off for (national) squads.

"Then when I came back in and played for the Scorchers I just tried a bit hard and wanted it too much. It was nice to let go of that and get some runs in the semi-final."

His 23 off 18 balls will not grab headlines but it was clear to see why Australia had kept their faith in Inglis through his lean patch.

The right-hander, playing as a specialist batter, struck two of his first four deliveries to the off-side boundary, both coming off Sri Lanka's crafty spinners to underscore his strength against the slow bowlers in putting on 50 off just 35 balls on with Ben McDermott.

He was out trying to reverse sweep a fast bowler but his enterprising manner suggested he was far from overawed.

"The time I spent with the squad over the World Cup period and the Ashes series as well (meant) it didn't feel like today was a huge, huge step up as it might have done if I hadn't spent that time with the team," said Inglis.

"I just tried to really enjoy today and not put too much pressure on myself.

"There were (nerves) – it was more just waiting to bat. Once I got out there I was okay, it was more just sitting around waiting."

Inglis has not put in for the weekend's Indian Premier League auction, meaning he should finally be able to return home in April after Australia's tour of Pakistan where he will be the back-up Test gloveman to Carey.

Dettol T20 Series v Sri Lanka 2022

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head*, Moises Henriques, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa * unavailable for first three matches

Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara, Ramesh Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Shiran Fernando

February 11: First T20, SCG, 7.10pm AEDT

February 13: Second T20, SCG, 7.10pm AEDT

February 15: Third T20, Manuka Oval, 7.10pm AEDT

February 18: Fourth T20, MCG, 5.10pm AEDT

February 20: Fifth T20, MCG, 7.10pm AEDT

All matches broadcast exclusively on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports. Radio coverage by ABC Grandstand