After an injury-hit start to his career, exciting young quick Pat Cummins is finally ready to play for Australia on home soil in next month's Twenty20 series against South Africa.
Cummins burst onto the world scene in breathtaking fashion as an 18-year-old when he took 6-79 in the second innings to help wrap up a dramatic two-wicket Test match win over the Proteas in 2011 at the Wanderers ground to earn the man-of-the-match award.
However, his progress has been stalled by foot and lower back problems that have ruled him out of three successive home summers.
The 21-year-old has enjoyed success in the short-form of the game but his 11 one-day internationals and five Twenty20 appearances have all been overseas and the New South Welshman is excited at the prospect of finally performing in front of home support in the series opener at the Adelaide Oval on November 5.
"I've been to some of those T20s games at ANZ Stadium and the atmosphere is amazing," Cummins said.
"It's a real carnival atmosphere and it going to be really exciting to be part of."
Cummins took 2-36 in NSW's five-wicket defeat to Tasmania at Blacktown on Monday and is hopeful his body will continue to hold up and allow him to play in the Sheffield Shield for the first time since 2011.
"I am keen to get back into Shield cricket as soon as possible after the T20s we will see where we are at," he said.
"I'll want to play a couple of grade and second XI games just to get used to bowling 20-25 overs again and hopefully I will available for Shield."
Cummins has slightly modified his bowling action and running to help overcome the strain on his body and said knowing Mitchell Johnson put his early career injury issues behind him to become one of the best fast bowlers in the world has given him confidence he can do the same.
"My running and my action is a little bit straighter to be more efficient," he said.
"But it's more about getting older and stronger and getting some more overs into the body.
"Guys like Brett Lee and Mitch Johnson have had similar timelines to what I've had.
"Knowing they've come back and had careers unaffected by injuries in the most part gives me the confidence I can do the same."
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