Australia have welcomed captain Pat Cummins back into their Ashes squad ahead of the third Test in Adelaide, as they aim to seal the urn at home following a 2-0 series lead.
Cummins, sidelined since July with a lumbar stress injury, has trained strongly in Perth and Brisbane, simulating match conditions to ensure he is ready for the pink-ball clash. Coach Andrew McDonald confirmed the pace spearhead is “skill ready, body ready,” with expectations high that he will toss the coin and don the blazer next Wednesday.
Veteran batter Usman Khawaja also returns to fitness after a back injury, offering selectors flexibility in the batting order, while spinner Nathan Lyon is in contention after being rested for the Gabba match. This creates a selection puzzle, with Michael Neser, Scott Boland, and Brendan Doggett potentially missing out.
The squad also includes Jhye Richardson, who is building towards an international return after shoulder surgery in January, and could add depth to the pace attack alongside Cummins and the already potent Australian quicks.
Australia will need careful balancing of their bowling and batting units in Adelaide, especially after ruling Josh Hazlewood out for the remainder of the Ashes and with England’s Mark Wood returning home injured. The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown at Adelaide Oval, with Cummins’ return potentially tipping the scales.
Men’s Ashes 2025-26:
- First Test: Australia won by eight wickets
- Second Test: Australia won by eight wickets
- Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 05:30 AM SLST
- Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 05:00 AM SLST
- Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 05:00 AM SLST
Australia squad (third Test only): Pat Cummins (C), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England squad: Ben Stokes (C), Harry Brook (VC), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue
