Australia's Shane Watson is certain he will remain an all-rounder despite his latest injury setback at the start of the Ashes.

Watson said he loves playing as an all-rounder and will not shelve his bowling, even if it increased his chances of staying fit and realising the high hopes national selectors have in him.

The 28-year-old, whose spate of injury woes have limited him to just eight Tests, suffered his latest setback this week when a thigh problem, initially thought to be a knee injury, cost him a chance to play in Australia's opening tour match against Sussex.

With a first-class average of 45 over nine years, Watson is considered a competent enough player to bat in Australia's top six, hence his selection on this tour as the reserve batsman.

Despite this week's injury, Watson, who made his international debut as a 20-year-old, will not give up bowling.

All-rounder tag a must

"I love being an all-rounder and what it provides for the team. I love being involved in the game no matter what," Watson said at the start of the week when he first pulled up sore.

"Maybe just being primarily a batsman might not have given me the opportunities like it has as early as it did in my career.

"The experiences I've had throughout my career, I've worked bloody hard to be able to get the opportunities that I've had so far and the setbacks that I've had have only made me a stronger person as well.

"Occasionally you sit back and wonder how many more times can I put up with another setback but in the end it excites me."

Watson's injury came as he was looking to increase his bowling workload after overcoming stress fractures in his back last summer.

He bowled competitively for the first time since last December in the ICC World Twenty20 earlier this month.

Watson still holds hope of playing a role with the ball towards the end of the Ashes series.

"I don't think I'm very far off at all. It's just gradually building up my bowling workload and I can get in a game and get through 10, 15 overs consistently," he said.

"In the end, like we did in India, I'd come from Twenty20s and a few one-dayers to playing in the Test series.

"In the end it comes from being able just to bowl consistently, whether it be in the nets or in the game as well."