‘I doubt I’ll play’: Cummins to join Lyon on sidelinesSteve LarkinAAPSun, 21 December 2025 2:01PM
Australia captain Pat Cummins could join spinner Nathan Lyon on the sidelines for the rest of the Ashes.
Lyon is expected to be ruled out for the last two Tests against England after suffering a hamstring injury in Adelaide on Sunday.
And Cummins is unlikely to feature in the fourth Test in Melbourne from Boxing Day, while he is also doubtful for the Sydney finale from January 3.
“I doubt I’ll be playing Melbourne,” Cummins said after leading Australia to an Ashes-retaining 3-0 lead over England.
“And then we’ll have a chat about Sydney.
“Certainly before the series, it was while the series was live, let’s take on the risk and have a crack at it.
“Now it’s done, I think we need to have a chat about it.”
Cummins took six wickets in Australia’s 82-run win in the third Test – his first game of cricket at any level since suffering back stress injury last July.
And Lyon, Australia’s second-highest Test wicket-taker, damaged a hamstring while fielding as the hosts pushed for a day five victory.
The 38-year-old hobbled from the field and didn’t return after being sent to hospital for scans, returning to Adelaide Oval on crutches.
“It doesn’t look great,” Cummins said of Lyon.
“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 … but 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.”
Left-arm orthodox spinner Matt Kuhnemann and offspinners Todd Murphy and uncapped Corey Rocchiccioli are frontrunners to replace Lyon.
But Cummins said it would be a brave selector who tried to tell fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland – the only pace pair to play all three Ashes Tests so far – to rest in Melbourne.
“Like always, we will probably give it 48 hours and see how everyone pulls up,” Cummins said.
“Good luck to anyone telling Starcy or even Scotty they’re going to miss a Boxing Day Test if they’re fully fit.”
Fast bowlers Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett remained with the squad in Adelaide while Jyhe Richardson trained with the Australians entering the fixture before being released for BBL duties.
Australia remain bullish star batsman Steve Smith will return on Boxing Day after missing the Adelaide Test because of vertigo.
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