Cummins & injured Lyon unlikely to play fourth Test

After the hosts’ victory in Adelaide, injured spinner Nathan Lyon is doubtful for the remainder of the Ashes series, while Australia captain Pat Cummins is undoubtedly unfit to play in the fourth Test.

On the fifth day of the third Test, Lyon, 38, tore his hamstring, but Australia still came out on top.

Captain Cummins, 32, only made his Adelaide debut after missing the first two Tests as a back injury.

The fifth Test, which will take place five days later in Sydney, will take place on December 26 (23:30 GMT, 25 December).

Cummins remarked on his own fitness, “Now that the series has been won, there might be a sense of the job being done,” adding, “let’s reevaluate the risk.”

Over the coming days, we’ll figure it out. I’m not sure if I’ll play in Melbourne, but we’ll talk about Sydney later.

Cummins was outstanding despite missing a game since July, taking three wickets in both of England’s innings and taking the tourists’ key man Joe Root twice.

Steve Smith, who the hosts anticipate being fit after missing Adelaide with illness, will likely take over as captain if Cummins takes some time out during the fourth Test.

Lyon immediately grabbed his right hamstring and left the field, where he had already taken his second-highest Test wicket in Adelaide. He then returned on crutches to participate in Australia’s celebrations.

Cummins remarked, “It doesn’t look great.”

After appearing in one of the series’ first two Tests, the off-spinner took two wickets in Adelaide’s first and second innings, respectively.

He claimed he felt “filthy” after being excluded from the second Test in Brisbane despite only having two overs in the first Test of this series.

One of the greatest spinners of all time, Lyon, suffered a calf injury during the second Test of the 2023 Ashes, which significantly contributed to England’s comeback against England, who lost the series 2-2.

There is no chance of a similar England comeback this time, but Lyon’s absence, which would likely result in the substitution of an unproven spinner, would hurt their chances of a score of 5 – 0.

The ability to take breakthroughs and also have control over an innings is really important, according to Cummins.

Cummins claimed the team had not discussed moving forward to end the series whitewash.

He responded, “It would be good.”

“I’ll take 3-0. I’ll take 3-2. Wining the Ashes is the goal.

You can’t enter a test without a win, so we’ll travel to Melbourne and Sydney in search of victory.