If you actually try to use it, you will see that it moves to a new page (which then by definition is scrolled up) too before going into that mode. So even if you could trigger it from anywhere, you’d still lose your context.
But let’s assume the multi-select view is merged into the normal one. Why can’t entering select mode be on long-press on any/all items?
This is an example of not solving “access to the pulley menu”, but the real specific problem.
There is quick-scroll. Search does not need to preserve your scroll context - heck it even shouldn’t.