Australia’s new Test captain Pat Cummins has no interest in leading the national white-ball teams and just wants to focus on his job in red-ball cricket at the moment, the fast bowler made it clear on Saturday.

Cummins was appointed the Test captain after Tim Paine stepped down from the post following a “sexting” scandal that has rocked Australian cricket ahead of next month’s Ashes series at home.

Limited-over skipper Aaron Finch led Australia to their maiden Twenty20 World Cup title earlier this month, and Cummins reckoned split-captaincy suited them.

“It’s probably too early to say, mainly because I start this role and see where we go. My gut feeling and preference at the moment is to have separate captains.

“I think it’s too much to ask, certainly of me. I’d love to just concentrate on Test cricket.

“Aaron’s doing a fantastic job,” Cummins told the Australian Associated Press, adding that it was best to have “someone who can take the white-ball squad teams to make it their own, take it in their own direction”.

“At the moment I’m purely focused on tests, that will stay the same for the foreseeable future,” the 28-year-old added.

Finch, 35, is keen to lead the team at least until the 50-overs World Cup in India in 2023, after which Australia may need to find his successor.

Cummins, who has insisted he does not want to miss Test cricket, said he has been flooded with messages since landing the captain’s role but the feeling had not sunk in yet.

“Probably not fully. I think until I walk out at the Gabba and see a big home crowd, pull on the Baggy Green (cap) and go out for the toss that’s when it’ll probably hit me. It’s a bit of a weird feeling,” he said after a practice session on the Gold Coast.

The Gabba Stadium in Brisbane will host the first Ashes Test against England from December 8. Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth are the other venues of the five-match series.