Ashes 2025-26: Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon doubtful for Melbourne Test, Steve Smith set to return and captain Australia

Pat Cummins captained Australia in third game at Adelaide Oval, which they won to win Ashes 2025-26.

For the forthcoming fourth Test match against England in the ongoing Ashes 2025–2026, Australia skipper Pat Cummins and seasoned spinner Nathan Lyon are doubtful.

After a protracted absence due to lower back problems, Cummins returned to the format to play his first Test since July in Adelaide. He had missed the first two Tests because of his back injury.

Cummins admitted he is unlikely to participate in the Boxing Day Test and may not play in the series after his team’s “pretty amazing” Ashes victory in Adelaide to retain the Ashes urn.

“We’ll wait and see. Now that the series has been won, there might be a sense of job’s done, and let’s kind of reassess the risk. So, we’ll work on it over the next couple of days. I doubt I’ll be playing Melbourne, and then we’ll have a chat about Sydney. But certainly, while the series was live, let’s take on the risk and have a crack at it,” Cummins was quoted as saying by AFP.

However, Nathan Lyon’s participation in the MCG Test is also questionable due to a hamstring issue. After diving to save a ball at fine leg, Lyon, 38, carefully stood up and gestured for the dressing room while clutching his right hamstring. He stumbled to the changing rooms after coming to a stop on the playing field with a fine leg.

“It doesn’t look great. I don’t know yet, but seeing someone on crutches doesn’t really bode well for a Test match a week away. Gaz is pretty close to irreplaceable. The ability to take breakthroughs but also control an innings is really important, so it’s going to be hard to replace,” Cummins said about Lyon, as per ESPNCricinfo.

“We’ve got some guys who have already had a taste of international cricket around the traps. Other guys have done really well in domestic cricket. I think it’s been one of the benefits, actually, of the Sri Lankan tour, even the West Indies and a couple of these tours where we take a couple of spinners; there are guys that can step in, and you feel like it’s not going to be too overwhelming for them,” he added.

Australia have the option of bringing in Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann.

Steve Smith set to return for Melbourne Test and captain Australia after they secure Ashes

Just before the toss, Steve Smith, who had taken Cummins’ place as captain in the previous two tests, experienced vertigo issues that prevented him from traveling to Adelaide.

However, he was spotted back in the nets and is expected to be prepared for Melbourne. As a result, Josh Inglis might be benched, and if Travis Head maintains the starting position, Usman Khawaja would go to number five.

Australia have dominated every game, winning by 82 runs in Adelaide after winning by eight wickets in Perth and Brisbane. With two tests remaining, Australia have secured the renowned urn.

“There was so much hype coming into the series, and you never really know how it will play out. So, winning in three tests is hugely satisfying for many reasons. A lot of the chat before the series was about how evenly poised it was going to be, and to win in straight tests, it doesn’t get much better than that.

The goal was to win the Ashes. But you’re not going into a Test match not wanting to win, so we’ll go to Melbourne and absolutely be desperate to win that one and Sydney. And if we get 5-0, it’s amazing, but I can’t say that’s been spoken about at all. It’s always just been about how we’re going to navigate our way through to three wins,” Cummins added.

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