The Australian fast bowler is reluctant over the prospects of becoming his nation's new Test captain.
After co-sharing the vice-captaincy post with Travis Head last summer, Cummins will return to the Test field against India only one untimely injury away from captaining the side himself. But he said he isn't thinking along those lines yet.
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"Haven't really (thought about that). Maybe once I get into Test camp I'll get my head around it a bit more," he was quoted as saying by AAP. "But I still see my job as helping Painey out in that Test side as much as I can."
"Being vice-captain for the last 18 months or so, of course you think about the game a bit more when you're out there."
"Just trying to make sure I'm always trying to learn what it takes to be a captain in case it ever comes up," Cummins added.
At 35, Paine isn't considered a long-term possessor of the helm despite being there since the ball-tampering saga. However, personally the wicketkeeper batsman has regained in hunger to continue for as long as he can.
That spark was reignited doing commentary work at the BBL last summer when he had given up the T20 format to focus on his red-ball career. Paine has just signed a new BBL contract with Hobart Hurricanes for his return to the club this season when not on Test duties.
Cummins, on the other hand, has only added to his wealth of knowledge by picking the brains of captain Eoin Morgan and head coach Brendon McCullum during his IPL 2020 stint with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
"Just about everyone you come across, whether it's ex-players or some of the really good players you're lucky to play with in the IPL, have been part of really good sides and had some leadership roles," Cummins said.
"Everyone has their own style and the way they go about it. So it's great to hear what has worked for them ... most of the problems and opportunities are all the same, just maybe in a slightly different setting."
Even former skipper Michael Clarke believes Cummins will make a really good Australian captain if chosen to do the difficult job. Cummins, against whose leadership appointment a counter-argument remains that a pacer might not relish managing extra workload, said he won't mind a crack at it.
"I haven't had too much experience. I can't say it's easy or it's really hard. But until you actually have a crack at it you might not know," he signed off.