Pat Cummins to replace Ryan Harris on Ashes tour

Pat Cummins to replace Ryan Harris in Ashes series

Pat Cummins has been called to England to replace Ryan Harris in the Australian XI in the ongoing Ashes series. He wiill be playing for the international side after a long gap of two years.

The panel that chose Cummins for his previous international game back in 2011 consisted of Andrew Hilditch, Greg Chappell, Jamie Cox and Michael Clarke.

Cummins has made considerable changes in his bowling action after his injuries which included stress hot spots in his heel which emerged during the Johannesburg Test in 2011, a torn side on his visit to Lord’s in 2012, and a couple of back stress fractures that led to assistant coach Craig McDermott remodelling the 22-year-old’s bowling action.

Feel pretty confident: Cummins

Cummins commented on the Johannesburg Test (2011) and stated "Back then I hadn't played a first-class game for about six months and certainly the few days leading in I was really nervous," he said. "I didn't know whether I was going to swing the ball and things like that. But when I played I kind of surprised myself. Bowling now in the nets and a few centre wickets in Brisbane, I feel pretty confident.”

"I haven't played a lot of red ball but I have still played a lot of Twenty20s and one-dayers and been bowling a lot. In terms of my body I feel 100% confident, the last month or so I have just been bowling with the red ball trying to rediscover swing and all those things that come with a first-class match and I have been really happy with where I am. I haven't been put in a game yet but if a game comes up I am feeling really confident”, he added.

For the time being, Peter Siddle is definitely ahead of Pat Cummins in terms of preferrence. Although, it would only take one fast bowling injury between Siddle and Starc to put Cummins into the playing XI.

IPL preparation helpful: Cummins

Cummins is confident after his long bowling stints for KKR in the IPL. He was coached by Trevor Bayliss during the campaign and bowled almost 40 overs every week in the nets.

"Rod said going over to India to keep bowling through the IPL and make sure you are ready to go in case anything happens," Cummins said. "During the IPL I didn't play that many games, so there was lots of net time”, Cummins said.

"We would go down an hour or two before the start of play and bowl on the field for seven, eight, nine or 10 overs. I wanted to make sure I was bowling plenty of overs before anything did happen. There were big days and small days, probably 10 or 12 overs, anything more takes a bit too long, but when you bowl that three or four times in a week you end up bowling 30 or 40 overs in a week, which is quite a bit”, said the 22-year-old paceman.

Have to keep learning: Cummins

Cummins is now in the thick of things and is being advised by bowling geniuses including Mitchell Johnson and Harris.

"It's good that he's stayed on and been around a couple of net sessions and just had a few talks about little things he's tried that works, especially over here in England where he's played beautifully," Cummins said.

"Just little things, how he moves the ball and what he does and doesn't have to try and do and just little things that mean I don't have to learn on the job”, he added.

Pat Cummins is eager to have another go in a Test match. "I love I guess the contest of backing up three, four, five days in a row and swinging the ball and building up spells," he said. "The little contests I find probably the most enjoyable."

There is every chance that he will be called upon to in the playing XI and may have to replicate his Johannesburg performance before the end of the tour.