World’s No2 bowler has not play professionally since MarchDetermined to regain the Ashes in England next summerMichael Clarke has not intention of quitting one-day game

The Australia paceman Ryan Harris hopes to be back in action by the end of October – although he admits he is being highly optimistic.

The world’s No2 ranked bowler has not played professionally since March, when he played a part in helping Australia to a Test series victory in South Africa, after finally undergoing surgery on a long-term knee problem.

While Harris is keen to be back playing next month, he has already acknowledged he will miss the Test series against Pakistan, but is now targeting a return to the international set-up for the next series against India, which gets under way in December.

“I’m hoping to be back for at least the first Sheffield Shield game for Queensland [starting on 31 October],” Harris said on the Cricket Australia website.

“That’s my goal – to try and make sure I get enough bowling in before the India series, which I really want to play in. That’s me pushing it to the max and wanting to get back as soon as I can.

“But you can ask me when I’m aiming to be back, or you can ask the physios and they’ll probably give you a totally different answer.”

The 34-year-old has had to endure numerous setbacks to his career due to various injuries but was pivotal in Australia’s double successes over England and the Proteas over the winter. The chance to regain the Ashes in England next summer is a big motivation for Harris in his latest comeback from injury.

“I must admit I’ve had a few thoughts about [when his career would end], but I still want to play,” he said. “If my performances were starting to drop considerably and I wasn’t happy, then I would have said ‘I don’t think I can do it any more’.

“But I know I can and I want to be part of that team. I’ve played in three Ashes series and lost two of them. So I want to have a chance to go over to England next year and defend them and bring them home.”

Meanwhile, the Australia captain Michael Clarke insists he has no thoughts of quitting one-day internationals following his latest injury setback.

The 33-year-old, who has endured a chronic back problem in the last few years, was forced to return home early from the triangular series with South Africa and Zimbabwe after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury.

Clarke said: “I have no intention [of quitting one-day cricket]. The reason I walked away from T20 international cricket a couple of years ago was to be able to play Test and one-day cricket.

“I have missed one-dayers in the past couple of years and I think that’s because we prioritised Test cricket but my view is I want to play every game for Australia, every one-day international, every Test match.”

Cricket Australia’s physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said: “He will have intensive rehabilitation for this hamstring injury and we will be monitoring his progress over the next week before deciding when he can return to training and playing.”

That leaves Clarke facing a race against time to be fit for next month’s tour to the United Arab Emirates, where Australia will face Pakistan in three ODIs and two Tests.