England could be tormented by McGrath and Warne once again

Fast bowler McGrath dropped out of Australia's tours to South Africa and Bangladesh earlier this year to help his wife Jane fight breast cancer.

But with her health improving, the 36-year-old holder of 136 Ashes wickets is keen to represent his country again.

Australia's chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said: "We need to see how he can best get playing again."

The Champions Trophy, taking place in India, ends just weeks before the Ashes commence on 23 November.

Hilditch explained: "We're going to sit down with the coaching staff and map out Glenn's fitness and see what he needs to do.

We'll have to play at our very, very best to beat England Andrew Hilditch

"The Champions Trophy will be something we'll talk through with Glenn and the Australian coaches and make sure Glenn's program is exactly as he wants it and we need it to be so he's ready to play in the Ashes.

"We haven't really started that process yet. We will do that probably in the near future."

McGrath was injured for much of the last Ashes series in England and was sorely missed by the Australians, who lost the trophy for the first time in 18 years.

Hilditch predicted the upcoming series in Australia would be tight, despite England's ordinary recent form.

"The reality I think they'll come ready to retain the Ashes and I think they'll be a very strong side," Hilditch said.

"We'll have to play at our very, very best to beat England.

"Whatever they've been doing in the last few months and in the next few months, I think come Ashes time it is going to be all fairly irrelevant."