After not playing a Test for England since the 2013 Investec Ashes, pace bowler Steven Finn is anxious to get back out on the field for his country in the longest format when the series kicks off on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old came home early from the return series Down Under suffering from a severe lack of form.
But the Middlesex quick believes the break did him good and he has reiterated the desire to help England win back the Ashes.
"We're desperate to win back the Ashes," he said. "We've seen how much the home crowd have been behind us this summer - there's been a big turnaround in people's attitude towards us - and we want to make those people proud.
"I've never seen a crowd get behind us as much as they did in the one-day series against New Zealand. You can be walking down the street and people will say 'we're loving the way you're playing your cricket, you're making us proud' and that's something we have to continue.
"I had a testing period. It wasn't pleasant. But overall it's been a beneficial experience. I came home, reassessed where I was and all that is in the past. I feel good now. I feel I can do myself justice.
"I don't think I ever doubted I'd get back. I never thought that playing Test cricket was out of my grasp. If I was five years older I might have done. I always knew that I've had success at international cricket. My record speaks for itself in all formats.
"I certainly hope the best is ahead. I'm only 26. I'm not even at my peak yet as a fast bowler. I'm always learning. I always feel like I'm improving. And hopefully, in the future, I can play Tests and have better years ahead of me. I've plenty of time left and plenty of overs left in my career and hopefully plenty more of them will be in Test cricket."
After the tortuous 2013-14 winter, Finn went away determined to work on his game and return to the England fold.
Finn, who now believes he has found his role, praised the work of Richard Johnson and Kevin Shine, bowling coaches for Middlesex and the ECB at Loughborough respectively, for helping him get back on track.
"I'm indebted to those guys. They put in hours and hours of early mornings with me bowling through to a mitt, or to a stump and watching and giving feedback. I'm very grateful to the way those guys have given their time so selflessly to me after the last 18 months. Hopefully I can repay that faith in performances in an England shirt,” he said.
"Trying to improve myself hindered me for a little while but as I became clear about what I wanted to do and how I wanted to bowl, I think I've got that determination back to come back into the England team.
"When I was left out after the Trent Bridge Test of 2013 I had a burning desire that I didn't want it to be my last Test. It would have been easy to go back to county cricket, rest on my laurels and not try and improve."
Tickets for Day 5 of the otherwise sold out Fourth Investec Ashes Test at Trent Bridge are still available priced at just £20. Don't miss the chance to watch the sport's most historic contest and secure your seats now.