After just 12 overs in his top-level comeback, Pat Cummins says he’s returning to Australia’s one-day squad ahead of schedule.

Cummins has been drafted into Australia’s squad for three remaining one-dayers against South Africa.

Coach Darren Lehmann, who once declared Australia’s rotation policy dead and buried, is resting pace ace Mitchell Johnson for the rest of the series.

But Lehmann and fellow selectors haven’t named a replacement batsman for injured captain Michael Clarke.

Cummins returns for his first one-day international since June 2012 after bowling only 12 overs in three Twenty20 games for Australia in his comeback from back stress fractures.

The speedster says his recall comes ahead of what he envisaged.

“It has probably come quicker than I thought and is real exciting,” Cummins told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

“Fortunately I can now concentrate on how I’m bowling and form rather than having to think about niggles or how my body is.”

Coach Lehmann said Cummins was in the mix for Australia’s squad for the World Cup starting next February.

“We always talk about form and that is going to be the big thing when we come down to deciding those last 15 spots (for the World Cup),” Lehmann told reporters in Perth on Monday.

“He gets his chance in these three games and I’m sure he’ll do well.”

Johnson has been rested to prepare for the four-Test series against India starting December 4.

“He has been up and about for a while now,” Lehmann said of his pace spearhead.

“We had Zimbabwe, UAE, these two (one-day internationals) here.

“It’s just to freshen him up and make sure he’s right to go for the summer.

“And Mitchell Starc comes back in so we’ve got a pretty good replacement there.”

Spinner Xavier Doherty has also been added to the squad while allrounder James Faulkner will be available for the final two one-dayers after finishing Tasmania’s current Sheffield Shield game.

Fellow allrounder Mitchell Marsh remains in the squad but will likely return to WA for the next Shield round to offer him some red-ball game-time practice ahead of Indian series.