Australia pace bowler Pat Cummins is confident he will gain some benefit from playing in next month’s Champions League Twenty20 tournament as part of his build-up to the Test series at home against South Africa.

Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers will represent Australia in the domestic event. Cricket Australia is sending their head bowling coach Ali De Winter to South Africa for the Champions League to supervise some red-ball bowling sessions for Australia’s quicks to keep them in shape for longer-form cricket to follow during the home summer.

Cummins, who claimed seven wickets in his Test debut in Johannesburg in November 2011, has been troubled by foot and side injuries and while back playing for Australia in the World T20 in Sri Lanka, he’s yet to take part in a first-class game since his only Test match.

“I’m just happy to be back playing cricket,” the 19-year-old Sydney Sixer said in Colombo on Tuesday.

“I really enjoyed the Champions League last year. We used it as a lead-in to the South African series so I’m really looking forward to it.

“In a perfect world I’d like to be playing a lot more Shield cricket going into the thing but with the schedule I’m not really missing any Shield games by going over to the Champions League.

“Hopefully I play five or six games of high-intensity cricket and get through that. Some of the best players in the world are playing and we’re going to do a lot of red-ball stuff as well with Ali and the other bowlers.”

Cummins, who is unlikely to play all six Tests this summer against South Africa and Sri Lanka as CA attempts to nurse its crop of young quicks through a tough season, admits first-class cricket is the biggest challenge of all.

“I haven’t bowled with a red ball for the last year so it’s been a while and I’m itching to get back there,” he said.

“I’ve never played (a Test) in Australia so hopefully I get to tick that off.”

Cummins says Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson and Ryan Harris (when he recovers from shoulder surgery) are all ahead of him in the pecking order for Test selection.

“I’ve just got to try and take wickets and bowl well whether it’s for Australia or NSW,” Cummins said.

George Bailey’s Australia side are due to train on Wednesday and Thursday ahead of Friday night’s World T20 Super Eights clash with India at Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium.