Australia's cricket team has been dealt a significant double blow ahead of the final two Ashes Tests, with captain Pat Cummins and veteran spinner Nathan Lyon both ruled out of the remainder of the series against England.
Cummins Rested After Heroic Return
Captain Pat Cummins, who made a decisive return from a six-month back injury in the third Test at Adelaide, will now be rested. The 32-year-old fast bowler condensed a three-month recovery into just six weeks to feature in the series, taking three wickets in each innings as Australia retained the urn with an unassailable 3-0 lead.
With the series secured, the decision has been made to prioritise his long-term fitness. Head coach Andrew McDonald stated the team had been "taking on some risk" and that to "jeopardise him long-term is not something we want to do." Cummins is now expected to focus on regaining match fitness for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February.
Lyon's Hamstring Heartbreak
In a cruel twist of fate, off-spinner Nathan Lyon will also play no further part. The 38-year-old suffered a hamstring injury while fielding on the final day in Adelaide and has since undergone surgery. This marks the second consecutive Ashes series Lyon has been forced to miss, having suffered a calf injury at Lord's in 2023.
"He's pretty shattered," said McDonald of Lyon, who took five wickets in the Adelaide Test. "He's facing a long recovery." Despite his injury, Lyon will remain around the squad for the upcoming Melbourne Test.
Smith Returns to Lead Reshuffled Side
With Cummins and Lyon absent, Australia will turn to former captain Steve Smith, who missed the third Test due to illness, to resume leadership duties for the fourth Test in Melbourne and the final match in Sydney.
The selectors have called up two replacements:
- Off-spinner Todd Murphy comes in to replace Lyon.
- Fast bowler Jhye Richardson takes Cummins’ place in the squad.
For England, the search for a consolation victory continues. They have not won a Test match in Australia for 15 years and face the prospect of a series whitewash. Changes to their XI for the Boxing Day Test are likely, with Ollie Pope’s position under scrutiny and bowlers Gus Atkinson and Matthew Potts pushing for selection.
