Steve Smith says it feels like he never left the Australian cricket team after rejoining the national squad in the United Arab Emirates over the weekend.
Smith and David Warner, whose bans for their role in Australia's infamous ball-tampering scandal will expire in a fortnight, joined the one-day team in Dubai ahead of their five-match series against Pakistan.
Smith and Warner will now head to the Indian Premier League T20 tournament, which Australia coach Justin Langer said would be vital to the pair's preparation for the World Cup and Ashes series in England later this year.
"Yeah, it's been great. It seems like there's a really good energy around the group at the moment coming off the back of what was a terrific win in India," Smith said.
"Spirits are really high, the boys have had a few down days and [are] slowly getting ready for obviously the upcoming series against Pakistan. But it's been great to be back around the group. They've been really welcoming again and it's almost like we never left. So everything is on the right track.
"I guess it's just been going through the values that are sort of instilled in the team at the moment and making sure we're on the right path looking forward to what's coming up.
"A huge World Cup and Ashes series in England, it's pretty exciting times ahead for the team and just making sure everyone is on the right path and heading in the same direction. So it's been very beneficial and really good."
The 29-year-old Smith has been out for two months with an elbow injury that required surgery. He played most of the first half of the summer with his boyhood club Sutherland in the NSW Premier Cricket competition where he led the Sharks to the T20 Cup.
"I'm really excited about playing again," Smith said.
"I love playing in India, the IPL is a terrific tournament and the elbow is tracking really well. I've been batting for the last two weeks and [am] able to play all shots, got my power back and stuff. So I'm tracking really well and I'm just excited to play again."
Langer described Smith and Warner's returns to having two brothers coming back home.
"It's been great having them back around the team. They've been received really well... so it's been really positive," he said.
"They've gone through a really tough time. A 12-month suspension is unprecedented, really. As a coach when you've got two guys with as many runs and as much experience as they've got coming back into a team which is playing well is pretty exciting."