Australia are due to leave later this month for a tour of Scotland and England, taking in six T20 and five one-day matches.

“This is an interesting year in that this gap leading into the summer was always pre-planned,” Cummins said as he and Healy launched Play Cricket Week in Sydney on Monday, encouraging children to take up the sport.

“The MLC popped up late. Talking through the schedules, it didn’t really change any of the prep leading into the summer. It was a nice little gap, which isn’t always going to be the case in other seasons where international cricket clashes, and that takes priority.

“There aren’t many breaks in the calendar unless you manufacture one. The medical staff and coaches and everyone thought this is a good opportunity to have a month or so off bowling for my body, and then build up and hopefully be in as good a position as possible for the five Tests.”

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Cummins was wearing Sydney Thunder colours for Monday’s promotion, but played the last of his 22 Big Bash games more than five years ago. He doubts that will change this season.

“I think it’s going to be tough,” Cummins said about the likelihood of his turning out for the Thunder. “We’ve got five Tests then go straight to Sri Lanka basically a week or so after the last Test.”

Cummins’ marathon playing stint began last September with a one-day series in India leading into the one-day World Cup, which finished on November 19.

He was in Perth three weeks later preparing for a five-Test home summer followed by two Tests in New Zealand, 16 matches in the IPL, six in T20 World Cup and six in the MLC.