The third Ashes Test Australia vs England moves to the historic Adelaide Oval for the Third Test, a match that could decide the fate of the series. England are already 2–0 down after heavy eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane. If they lose this match, Australia will retain the Ashes .
Australia have looked dominant in the first two Tests. Their success has come from a strong pace attack, disciplined bowling, and important runs from their middle order. They have controlled key moments and put England under pressure from the start.
For the Adelaide Test, Australia are expected to be even stronger with the return of two key players:
Pat Cummins , is set to return after recovering from a back issue. His comeback brings more depth in lower order with his leadership world-class fast bowling.
Nathan Lyon Australia leading spinner returns after missing the second Test. His inclusion is very important, especially at Adelaide, where spin usually plays a role later in the match.
The batting order sees an unchanged top seven, meaning veteran Usman Khawaja is the unlucky omission despite recovering from a back issue. Travis Head and Jake Weatherald will continue to open. The core of Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Cameron Green remains the engine room. Head’l brilliant recent form and his excellent record at Adelaide.
On the other hand,England is in immense under pressure with 2-0 down, England batting has been their biggest concern so far. The top order has failed to provide solid starts against Australia relentless pace attack. While the intent has been positive, poor shot selection has led to frequent collapses. Joe Root remains the standout performer and England most reliable run-scorer. His experience and ability to adapt to conditions will again be crucial.
Harry Brook, one of England most exciting batters, has not yet made a major impact in this series. After admitting to playing rash shots in the earlier Tests. A big innings from him could shift momentum quickly .
In the bowling department, England have made just one change, bringing in Josh Tongue for Gus Atkinson. Tongue offers extra pace and bounce and showed his wicket-taking ability during the 2023 Ashes. Alongside him Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse will play key role in bowling lineup.
Pitch Report
The Adelaide Oval pitch offers a classical five-day surface, demanding tactical flexibility. Initially, the pitch is excellent for batting, providing consistent pace and true bounce, favouring fluent stroke play. Fast bowlers will find early assistance with swing, making the first hour critical.
However, Under the hot weather, the pitch is expected to break up, increasing turn and uneven bounce. This makes the role of spin.Given the early batting favour and late turn, the toss is crucial. The team winning the toss will almost certainly bat first to maximize scoring on the best conditions and exploit the deteriorating surface later in the match.
Playing XIs
Australia
Travis Head, Jack Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon
England
Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c) , Jamie Smith (wk), will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer
Players to Watch Out
Travis Head: is boasting a phenomenal Adelaide Oval Test record of 634 runs in 7 Tests at an average of 79.25, including three centuries. His ability to dominate the good early batting surface will be key.
Mitchell Starc : has been the most dangerous bowler of the series so far, taking 18 wickets in just two Tests at an excellent average of 14.00 and .His record at this ground is outstanding. He has taken 55 wickets in only 10 matches at an average of 17.14.
Joe Root has been England’s top run-scorer in the current Ashes series. He has scored 161 runs so far at a good average of 53.66. His best performance came in the Second Test, where he played a brilliant 138 not out. This was special because it was his first Test century in Australia, ending a long wait. It was also the 40th century of his Test career, which should give him a big confidence boost.
Joe Root : has a strong and reliable record at the Adelaide Oval, even if he has not scored a century there yet, played three Ashes Tests at Adelaide , scored 264 runs at an average of 44.00.
Prediction
Australia are strong favourites to win the Third Test and retain the Ashes. Australia have an excellent history at Adelaide Oval, winning 19 out of 33 Ashes matches played there. England’s batters are likely to find it hard against the high-quality pace attack of Mitchell Starc and the especially with the new ball. Australia also have greater depth in both batting and bowling, giving them a clear advantage. But England won most win game.