Shaun Marsh's fifth stint in the Test side could not have been worse, and the much-maligned batsman knows he must deliver at home in his sixth crack to win over doubters.
Marsh has been called up to Australia's XI for a sixth time, having essentially served as a reserve batsman since touring South Africa in February, 2014.
The 32-year-old's Test record in that stretch is reasonable.
He's averaged 37.33 from eight matches, including 254 runs at 42.33 in last summer's home series against India.
But the perception of being gifted too many chances has been hard to shake for Marsh, especially after a woeful performance in the Ashes.
He totalled two runs in his most recent Test outing, when Australia surrendered the urn at Trent Bridge.
"It couldn't get any worse," Marsh said.
"I've tried to get it out of my mind. It wasn't a very good Test match - personally and for the team.
"I've sort of moved on.
"I guess you learn from lessons like that and, hopefully, I've learned some valuable lessons I can take into this next Test match."
Marsh was run out for 99 during last year's Boxing Day Test.
His career highlights both came overseas - a century on debut against Sri Lanka and a knock of 148 batting first on a Centurion pitch that looked unsafe when Mitchell Johnson bowled.
The left-hander knows there is only one way to silence those questioning why he was picked as Usman Khawaja's replacement: runs in Australia.
"Definitely - I really enjoyed playing last year against India and got a few good scores there without getting the hundred," Marsh said.
"It'd be nice to get to three figures in Adelaide, but I'm just really excited.
"I've been a little bit inconsistent with my Test career so far.
"I've felt really good over the past month in Shield cricket and feel like I've got a better game now to hopefully be successful at Test cricket."
Marsh has played 15 Tests - spread out over five years - and coach Darren Lehmann pointed to this experience when explaining the selection.
"He's made some runs and contributions ... he played really well for us last summer," Lehmann said. "He's been in and out as well which makes it tough for him. "He'll still want to prove himself again.
"He gets a couple of Test matches here and we'll see how he goes."
Lehmann also pointed to the fact Marsh was the leading run-scorer in the domestic one-day competition, save for Steve Smith, and downplayed his failures in England.
"That was a pretty poor Test match for us as a whole," he said, referencing the way Australia were skittled for 60 in little more than an hour-and-a-half.
Marsh revealed veteran opener Chris Rogers, who retired after the Ashes, helped him immensely on that tour.
"We just worked on a few little things on my game. He was fantastic to talk to; his record speaks for itself," he said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-...he-doubters-in-australian-test-return/6952606
