Calcutta: Mitchell Starc is back to bowling at top pace and presented a "scary" prospect for Australia Test opener Joe Burns in Brisbane last week as the squad stepped up its preparation for the upcoming tri-series against the West Indies and South Africa in the Caribbean, reports the Cricket Australia (CA) website.

Starc, who succumbed to a stress fracture in his foot during the historic Day/Night Test against New Zealand in Adelaide last November and took that opportunity to undergo surgery to his troublesome right ankle, bowled off his full run-up at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane.

"Starc is bowling very fast, very accurately and swinging it," Burns was quoted as saying by the CA website in the wake of those sessions when asked how Starc appeared to be recovering after his lengthy lay-off.

"I think he's bowling close to his best. He is at his best at the moment. There were some very scary days facing him, but it's just great to see him back on the park and bowling at express pace.

"He has got that ability with the new ball to almost skid it off the lower wickets as well. So, he's still as challenging in those sub-continental conditions as he is on the Australian wickets I reckon," Burns added.

Apart from those occasions when bowlers including Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe have passed through the NCC for training sessions, Burns has been working closely with his Queensland coach Phil Jaques.

Even though Burns has no direct experience in Sri Lankan conditions to call upon ahead of the upcoming Test series, he was part of the Australia A squad that toured India last year.

"There are pretty much seven weeks before we leave for Sri Lanka. So, for the next few weeks, I'm still sort of training by myself, which I quite enjoy," Burns said.