New Delhi, Aug 10 : Australian pacer Scott Boland had eagerly anticipated his maiden county stint with Durham earlier this year. After watching Australia's pace trio - Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc - march through seven consecutive Tests unscathed, Boland's excitement to test his skills in English conditions was palpable.

However, his county stint, which was meant to last four months, ended abruptly on the very first day, with an injury that might have dashed his immediate hopes but could also, in hindsight, serve as a catalyst for long-term success.

Boland arrived at Durham more than a week before his first match, allowing ample time to acclimatise to northern England's chilly early-season conditions. His bowling sessions went smoothly, convincing him that the knee and heel pain he had developed during Victoria's final Sheffield Shield match of the season were behind him. This pain, born out of a rigorous new gym routine designed to boost his explosiveness for a handful of games in the Big Bash League, had seemed under control.

However, during Durham's match at Edgbaston - on the same ground where Boland had played a pivotal role in securing an Ashes victory for Australia the previous year - the pain returned with a vengeance.

At tea on the first day, with Warwickshire already amassing 346/1 on a pancake-flat pitch, Boland stood up and realised he could hardly walk.

'I got back up, hobbled out onto the ground, and I knew I was in trouble,' the 35-year-old said to cricket.com.au. A post-match X-ray revealed a tear in his right foot's plantar fascia, an injury that would require at least ten weeks of rehabilitation, prematurely ending his UK venture and his hopes of playing T20 cricket in the Blast.

Boland returned home to Melbourne, disappointed but reflective. Although he missed the opportunity to refine his skills with the British Dukes ball and to re-acquaint himself with short-form cricket, he soon came to see the injury as a 'blessing in disguise.' The enforced break allowed Boland to embark on an unexpected full pre-season with Victoria, the first he'd had in several years, giving him valuable time to rebuild his fitness and slowly ramp up his bowling workload.

"I still would have loved to have played and experienced a county season. I haven't played (much) T20 cricket for three years, so I was really keen to play in the (UK's T20) Blast.

"But I think coming home, having a big pre-season which I haven't had for three or four years as well, having four months in the gym and building up my bowling slowly, I think it's going to benefit me going into the Tests," Boland optimistic about the upcoming summer that includes the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India.

"I would have come home from England pretty tired ' I would have bowled a fair bit and been sore. I think it's going to be a good thing in the long run."

Looking ahead, Boland was determined to avoid a repeat of last season's frustrations. 'I want to play as many games before the Australian summer to make sure my body's in a really good spot,' he said. His focus is not just on the upcoming series against India but also on future challenges, including another potential Ashes tour, by which time he will be nearing his 37th birthday. Inspired by the longevity of Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson, Boland sees no reason why he can't continue to perform at the highest level for years to come.

To extend his career, Boland has made significant investments in his recovery routine, including post-play pool sessions, cold compression therapy, and even exploring the installation of a sauna at his home. His goal is clear: to keep playing for Australia as long as possible and to remain a valuable asset in their pace attack. 'I don't want to put a barrier on when I'm going to finish up,' Boland said, hinting at his desire to play well into his late 30s.

/IANS