Kurtis Patterson eyes Test return ahead of South Africa tour

Kurtis Patterson believes his batting has never been better — and Australian selectors may be listening. The New South Wales left-hander is in contention for a berth on Australia's upcoming tour of South Africa as pressure mounts on struggling incumbent Marnus Labuschagne.

It has been seven years since Patterson last pulled on a Test whites. His two-match debut series against Sri Lanka in 2019 produced a century and a Test average that still sits at a remarkable 144 — a figure inflated by limited opportunities but one that underlines his capacity at the highest level.

Now 33, Patterson says his game has matured significantly in that time. "I've certainly turned a corner," he said. "I feel like I've got a lot more consistent with how I want to play my cricket and how I want to bat, and there's been some results that have followed that, which is nice."

Last Sheffield Shield season, Patterson compiled 600 runs including the competition's highest individual score — an unbeaten 173 against South Australia. Yet he remained his own harshest critic. "I feel like I left a lot of runs out there last year," he admitted. "The way that leaderboard ended up, there was probably a nice opportunity for all of us in that top five to separate ourselves with a couple of big scores. That kept me awake a few nights."

His season average of 37 may appear modest, but it was the highest among the Shield's top-ten run-scorers — context that speaks to how difficult conditions have been for batters across the competition.

Patterson pointed to comments from Steve Smith as validation of what Shield cricketers have been saying for some time. "He said batting in Australia against the new ball is as hard as it's ever been in his career, by a mile," Patterson said. "It's always nice when the best in the world support how you're feeling. I think our Shield cricketers have been saying it for a while, and it wasn't until those two two-day Tests last summer that everyone eventually realised we're not just complaining."

In 50-over cricket, Patterson's form has been exceptional. His last 281 runs in the format came without a single dismissal, helping New South Wales to the one-day title.

With 15 seasons of first-class cricket behind him, Patterson also offered a considered view on the changing nature of Australian pitches. He expressed hope that the distinct character of grounds such as the Gabba, the WACA, the SCG and Adelaide Oval could be restored, noting that surfaces have become increasingly uniform compared to his early career.

Experience, form and a hunger to prove himself at Test level — Patterson may be exactly what Australia's top order needs heading into a challenging South African campaign.