Chris Tremain's phone lights up with pictures and videos of his baby boy every day, "but it still doesn't quite compare to a nice hug in the morning".
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Which is why while Tremain's sights are set on the Thunder's 2020-21 Big Bash campaign, his mind is still in Sydney.
The fast bowler's wife Shannon and one-year-old son Noah are locked down in Sydney, unable to join him in the BBL hub due to border restrictions amid COVID-19.
This is the downside to life in a cricket bubble.
The 29-year-old got a few weeks worth of family time before entering the BBL hub on December 4, but prior to that he had spent three weeks in an Adelaide bubble.
"I'd almost rather, after a long time on the road and not seeing my son for a long time, I wouldn't mind being locked in with them for at least a little bit of time," Tremain said.
"My wife is flat out, she's looking after him, working and studying the last bit of a law degree. She's flat out, and that's probably what affects you the most in the hub.
"It's a little bit difficult on her, and that's probably the hardest part of the hub, you're not there to help the family when they need it.
"I've been a cricketer for eight or nine years now, and Shan, if she wanted out she would have got out six years ago but she's cracked on. She's going well which makes my job a lot easier. I don't have to burn a whole lot of anxious energy on the road because I know she's got it covered.
"Noah now understands what FaceTime is and who I am, he gets excited and some days he doesn't care because he's watching Peppa Pig or Bluey and doesn't want a bar of me.
To date the Thunder have done that in impressive fashion, bouncing back from a season-opening loss to ride a five-game winning streak which has them sitting at the pointy end of the ladder.
The Thunder have eight matches remaining - "a daunting prospect" when Tremain considers how long he has spent away from family - but a busy travel schedule may help the days pass.
Tuesday night's win over the Melbourne Stars in Canberra marked his first match in 10 months, and Tremain says "I hadn't been that nervous since I debuted".
Yet after copping an early barrage he bounced back to claim the wicket of Glenn Maxwell and close out the game to rid himself of any lingering doubts about his ability to execute at the elite level.
"Coming back, it was a really good way to remind you you're a good cricketer, you're there for a reason, and that's what you do, you've done it for a long time," Tremain said. "That was encouraging for me."
