Injured Australia pacer Cummins can't wait to get back on the field to pair up with India wrecker James Pattinson

At a very early stage of his career, fast bowling sensation Patrick Cummins has learnt that nothing in life can be taken for granted. Despite a spectacular Test debut at Johannesburg last November, where he took seven wickets, hit the winning runs and was the man-of-the-match, Cummins is not on the field with his mates, bowling to India's celebrating batting line-up. It was during that Johannesburg Test when Cummins hurt his left heel which effectively ruled him out of the entire Australian cricket season.


Patrick Cummins celebrates his first Test wicket at theu00a0 Wanderers in
Johannesburg against SA on Nov 17, 2011. Pic/Getty Images

He has stopped looking too far into the future. Take Tim Paine for example. The Tasmanian wicketkeeper, popularly tipped as Brad Haddin's successor and next Australian captain, was recently told that his battered right index finger requires extensive bone-graft surgery. There are doubts if he will ever make a comeback to international cricket. Such is the harsh reality of an athlete's life.


James Pattinson

Cummins was lurking about at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) parking lot during the tea interval on Day Three of the second Australia-India Test here yesterday. He spoke to MiD DAY.

Excerpts from an exclusive interview: