With a 2-0 lead in the Ashes after two games of the five-match series, Australia already have a firm hand on the urn. At the third Test in Adelaide they only need to draw the game to retain the Ashes. But the hosts will be looking to go for the kill having named captain Pat Cummins in the squad for the third Test at Adelaide.
Australia named a 15-man squad for the third Test that will start on the December 17 with Cummins and Nathan Lyon expected to return to the XI.
Cummins has not played since Australia’s 3-0 sweep of West Indies in July, where he first experienced the back soreness that ruled him out of the start of the Ashes.
“His (Cummins’) body is ready to go and barring anything else happening in the next week, I’d be expecting Pat to be tossing the coin and putting the blazer on,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said.
“There won’t be any match opportunities for Pat, and this is something we’ve done with Pat before, off long layoffs, where we’ve put some time and effort into rebuilding his body. He was out at Allan Border Field, whilst everyone was out at the Gabba. So he simulated pretty much what a match will look like out there with multiple spells. So we feel as though he’ll be as best prepared as he can be.
“He was well ahead of where we thought he’d be at. And it did create a real live conversation for Brisbane, the skill readiness, the loads, how he was pulling up. It was debated a lot leading into that Test match. So with that in mind, us seeing him further advanced, we feel it’d be really well placed for the challenges of Adelaide, albeit off a long way off. We feel as though the simulation in the nets have got him skill ready,” McDonald said.
While Cummins was out of the team due to injury, Lyon’s omission from Australia’s team for its eight-wicket win at the Gabba raised eyebrows. However, Cricket Australia officials have reportedly confirmed he will return to the side in Adelaide.
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The next week will be crucial for Usman Khawaja after the 38-year-old sustained a back injury which puts doubts over his ability to play in Adelaide.
Hazlewood out
Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood’s Ashes 2025-26 is done after he suffered an Achilles issue, right after his hamstring strain.
“Unfortunately, Josh won’t be a part of the Ashes,” Australia coach McDonald confirmed. “Really, really flat for him. A couple of setbacks that we didn’t see coming, and we thought he would play a huge part in the series. It’s a totally separate injury. It’s somewhere lower in the calf to Achilles region. His preparation will then shift towards the World Cup, which is an incredibly important campaign for us.”
Australia’s squad for the third Ashes Test:
Pat Cummins (captain), Steve Smith, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
(With inputs from AP)