Pat Cummins believes Australia will produce a strong comeback against England on day two of their Ashes opener in Perth.

Australia looked to be in a brilliant position when they bowled England out for just 172 after the tourists won the toss and chose to bat, but they ended the day 123-9 and trailing by 49 runs.

Australia's struggles at the top of the order also continued, with Jake Weatherald lasting just two balls on debut after being trapped lbw by Jofra Archer.

Indeed, Weatherald became just the eighth Australian batter to be dismissed for a duck on their men's Test debut and the third in the 21st century, after Phillip Hughes and Nathan McSweeney. 

Although they are likely to be behind at the halfway point, Cummins, who misses this Test through injury, insisted Australia will not give up.

"Awesome first day. It feels like it was about four days worth of cricket, it really lived up to the hype, I didn't see that coming," Cummins told Test Match Special.

"It was really good to watch, it's a shame I couldn't be out there.

0 - Jake Weatherald (0) is just the 8th Australian batter dismissed for a duck on their men's Test debut and the third in the 21st century (also Phillip Hughes, Nathan McSweeney). Blank.#Ashes #Ashes2025 pic.twitter.com/lUf0miuPTk

— OptaJim (@OptaJim) November 21, 2025

"It's doing enough [the wicket], I don't think it warranted 19 wickets in a day, some of the batters probably wish they had another chance at their shots. The ball got soft so maybe it was a little harder than last year.

"All our batters go about it differently; we just need to find the right balance. How do you make yourself hard to bowl at and how do you get the runs.

"We'll be ready to come back tomorrow."

Nineteen wickets are the most ever to fall on the opening day of the first Test of a men's Ashes series, and Mitchell Starc was responsible for seven of those scalps.

Starc's career-best bowling figures of 7-58 are the best of any Australian pace bowler in a men's Ashes Test since Mitchell Johnson took 7-40 at Adelaide in December 2013.

"I don't think he needs anyone else at the moment, he's on a bit of a hot streak," Cummins added on Starc.

"He was hot as soon as he went out, his rhythm looked great, every time he had the ball he created something."