"Doubt I’ll be playing"- Pat Cummins non-committal about Ashes MCG Test

Harsh Adwani

Pat Cummins noncommittal about MCG Test [Source: @muffadal_vohra/x.com]Pat Cummins noncommittal about MCG Test [Source: @muffadal_vohra/x.com]

Australia have everything going their way in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26. They have already retained the Ashes in three matches, having annihilated England in all three games. More importantly, they were without one of their key players, Pat Cummins, for the first two matches.

And while the skipper returned to play the third Test in Adelaide, he remains noncommittal about playing the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

When asked if he would play at the MCG during the presentation after winning the third Test, he said he would wait a couple of days to see how his body turns out.

“We’ll see how I pull up over the next day or two and make a decision. But let’s savour this for now (winning the third Test and retaining the Ashes),” Cummins said at the presentation.

Further speaking about the situation during the press conference, he said that since they already won the series, he might consider benching himself for the fourth game. He also mentioned that he only played the third game because the series was still alive.

“I doubt I’ll be playing Melbourne, and then we’ll have a chat about Sydney. Certainly, before the series, it was 'While the series is alive, let's take on the risk and have a crack at it.' Now that it’s done, I think we’ll need to have a chat about it,” he said.

Cummins played a key role in Adelaide

Returning to the field after suffering from a back injury, the team skipper played an important role in Australia’s 82-run win in Adelaide. He returned the figures of 69/3 in the first innings and 48/3 in the second innings.

But the real stars of the game were Alex Carey and Travis Head, who scored a century in the first and second innings, respectively. Carey was the star of the first innings as he and Usman Khawaja rebuilt the innings after Australia had faced a minor collapse. Head, in the second innings, did not let Australia lose too many early wickets, as he put on a great show right from the start.