Perfect 10: Cummins hits new high

Pat Cummins has insisted he is content remaining Australia's first-change pace option despite calls for the speedster to take the new ball amid more form concerns for Mitchell Starc.

Starc took match figures of 2-98 in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Brisbane, and despite bowling at high pace, was profligate with the new pink ball in the second innings on day two under lights; a time many would have tipped the left-armer to be at his most dangerous.

As Australia sought a breakthrough before the close that evening, Cummins was given the final over before stumps – just the sixth of the innings – and duly rewarded captain Tim Paine with the wicket of opener Dimuth Karunaratne.

QUICK SINGLE Langer flags same XI for Canberra Test

He resumed with what was still a hard pink ball the following morning and had a five-wicket haul inside nine overs.

"The harder the ball is (the better), especially (on the second night) when conditions feel like it's swinging around, I love to get the ball in my hand in those kinds of times," Cummins said after Australia wrapped up an innings win at the Gabba.

"But overall, I think the new (ball) bowlers always do a great job.

"So I feel like my role, coming in and hitting the deck, I do that pretty well and our openers do their job well as well.

"Starcy, when he's on, you just feel like he's going to rip through.

"You saw in the Indian series, both Indian (openers) got dropped because we started off really well with the new ball.

"I think the good thing is he's bowling really, really fast, so his rhythm mostly is there.

"I know he's tried to change a couple of things up, trying to get his feet aligned, but he's not far away.

"I think every training session he's working on things, trying to get better, and I'd love for him just to get a couple of wickets and it click, because I really don't think it's far away."

Cummins' six too strong for Sri Lanka

Test legend Brett Lee suggested Starc has "lost his way" somewhat as he aims to rediscover the form that has now seen him take 201 Test wickets at among the best strike-rates in Australian Test history.

Like Cummins, Lee added that the upside to the 28-year-old's was simply too good to ignore.

"I would give Mitchell Starc a rest from bowling with the new ball," Lee said in Fox commentary during the Test.

"We know he's a world-class bowler, it might be the kick up the backside he needs.

"The reason I love Mitchell Starc is I know what he can do.

"He can bowl at 155kph and swing the ball back and knock someone’s front pad off but at the moment, he's lost his way a little bit.

"There's a lot of people telling him how to bowl, they all mean well and I've been there many times … where you just lose your edge, whether it's your action, whether you're carrying an injury and also confidence, too.

"Sometimes your mind gets clouded."

Super Starc joins the 200 club

Cummins also revealed he was virtually insistent that debutant quick Jhye Richardson share the new-ball bowling duties.

The 22-year-old was highly impressive in his first Test outing, swinging the new ball, finding seam movement and hitting the stumps.

He finished the match with figures of 5-45 from 27 overs.

"Jhye presents a beautiful seam … as soon as he came in (to the squad) I was saying, 'He's got a beautiful seam – he's got to get the new rock'," Cummins added.

"So I'm pretty happy with (bowling first change).

"I'm always itching to get the ball in my hand but I'm happy to wait a few overs."

Domain Test Series v Sri Lanka

Australia: Tim Paine (c/wk), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Jhye Richardson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Kusal Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha

First Test: Australia won by an innings and 40 runs

Second Test: February 1-5, Canberra