Victoria's second Sheffield Shield match after the Big Bash League break has been identified as a possible return date for James Pattinson as the injury-prone paceman looks to mount a case for inclusion in the touring party for this year's Ashes series.

Pattinson, 28, has an excellent Test record with 70 wickets at 26.15, as well as a more than handy batting average of 27.66, however hasn't played a Test since early 2016 due to injury.

James Pattinson dismisses the West Indies' Darren Bravo in Hobart in December 2015. Credit:AP

He played four of the Vics' six Shield matches before Christmas, performing solidly with nine wickets at 33.11 on a limited workload, and had been hopeful of building form and bowling loads in the back half of the campaign with the English Duke ball, which is used in post-Christmas Shield action.

But Pattinson was dealt a setback when a side strain ruled him out of much of the BBL campaign, where he had been playing with Brisbane Heat.