Australia paceman Pat Cummins is relishing the prospect of an Ashes series in England this year after missing out on a Test appearance in 2015.
Cummins was a late replacement for the retiring Ryan Harris four years ago but was not involved as England claimed a 3-2 series triumph.
The 26-year-old played a pivotal role in 2017-18, though, taking 23 wickets in total and being named player of the match in the fifth Test as Australia won 4-0.
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Ahead of 2019's opener at Edgbaston next Thursday, Cummins is looking forward to a taste of what he considers probably the biggest challenge international cricket has to offer.
"Being on that tour in 2015, I just remember being really excited," he said.
"It felt like I was close to playing a Test towards the end. I feel like that would have been a bonus.
"Just being over here is pretty exciting. After winning the last Ashes, this is the next thing to tick off, playing in an away series. It doesn't get much tougher than this.
Cummins claimed 5-24 in an intra-squad warm-up clash on Wednesday, just two weeks on from the defeat to hosts England in the World Cup semi-finals, and he is confident of having found some rhythm.
"I hadn't bowled a long spell for quite a while and trying to learn some of the nuances of bowling in Test matches," he said.
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"That first spell I think I bowled seven [overs] It's kind of weird. You start off fresh and then after three or four [overs], you're hurting a little bit.
"You kind of find [rhythm] towards the end. So just those kinds of things, trying to bowl a few bouncers and get the pace up.
"There's probably not too many bowlers around the world who would say they prefer one-day cricket. I just find there's always something a little bit more in the wicket. I like the contest of bowling 20 overs in a day, trying to out-think batsmen."
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