Only a few bowlers will prefer ODI cricket to Test cricket, says Pat Cummins

Cummins’ rise to the top of the Test bowlers rankings is the reward for the persistent hard work he has put in over the last few years. Even when the conditions don’t offer much, or the ball isn’t moving around, Cummins continues to toil away. The 26-year-old even went on record saying that Test cricket was his favorite format of the game. He sounded genuinely excited at the thought of playing Tests.

"There won't be too many bowlers around the world that will say that they prefer ODI cricket (to Test). There is always something more in the wicket in Test matches. The red ball seems to swing more and remains hard for longer. I like the contest of bowling 20 overs a day and trying to out-think the batsmen. There are so many phases in Test cricket and it is my favourite format," Cummins was quoted saying by Cricbuzz.

After a disappointing end to the World Cup campaign at the hands of England, Australia have been grinding it out in preparation for the Ashes. Cummins said he finds the transition from white-ball cricket to red-ball cricket easier than the other way around. He then justified his statement by picking up five for 24, including the wicket of Steve Smith, during the intra-squad warm-up match.

Cummins joined the Australian squad in 2015 as a replacement for Ryan Harris. He has fond memories of the excitement ahead of being handed the baggy green for the first time. Cummins says he looks forward to ticking over the box of an away Ashes win with this series.

"Being on that tour in 2015, I just remember being really excited. It felt like I was close to playing a Test towards the end, I feel like that would have been a bonus. Just being over here is pretty exciting. After winning the last Ashes, this is the next thing to tick off, playing in an away series. It doesn't get much tougher than this," he said.

Meanwhile, fellow fast bowler James Pattinson is making a comeback to the Test arena for the first time since 2013. That year, during the Ashes in England, a teary-eyed Pattinson was forced to withdraw from the second Test match due to a side strain. But injuries have plagued him ever since, as the 29-year-old finally returned to playing regular cricket only in late 2018. Cummins was all praise for ‘Patto’ who picked up four for 35 in the same match, over two innings.

"Pattinson is impressive when he is on fire, he just looks a class above. His Test record so far has been brilliant. Unfortunately, he hasn't played in the last few years due to injury. When he is up and running, he looks as good as anyone else in the world," Cummins added.