Australia’s Ashes Captain Pat Cummins Confirms Return for Third Test in Adelaide

Australian captain Pat Cummins has declared himself fit and ready to lead his side in the pivotal third Ashes Test against England, set to commence on December 16 in Adelaide. The fast bowler, 32, missed the initial two matches of the series due to a back injury, with Steve Smith stepping in to captain the team in his absence.

Cummins, who sat out Australia’s victories in Perth and the ongoing day-night encounter in Brisbane, expressed strong confidence in his recovery. “I’ll have one more bowl tomorrow in the nets and then we’ll go to Adelaide and have a bowl there,” the Australian skipper told reporters, adding, “Barring any hiccups, I’ll be good to go. The body feels great.”

Millenium TV has learned that while there was a slim possibility of Cummins featuring in the second Test, the selectors ultimately opted against the risk. The captain explained that the decision to miss the Brisbane match was made to ensure full recovery, stating, “It felt a bit too acute and didn’t really feel fair on the other bowlers. We thought it didn’t feel like the right Test match to take that risk, so kick it down the road for a week.”

Cummins boasts an impressive record of 309 wickets in 71 Tests throughout his career. Notably, his performance at the Adelaide Oval has been exceptional, with a career average of 21.19 with the ball. His return will bolster an Australian bowling attack that is also currently without fast bowler Josh Hazlewood.