Right now, sovereign risk has put Australia’s cricket team in limbo. This is in addition to captain Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon, who are both very doubtful to be available for the fourth Test against England, starting December 26 in Melbourne. Cummins, who recently returned from a back injury, hasn’t bowled since July and is mulling taking a break. At the same time, Lyon twisted his hamstring in the third Test and will likely not play again in the Ashes series.
Cummins produced third Test heroics at the Gabba. He took three wickets in each of England’s innings, including Joe Root twice. His performance powered Australia to ultimately win the World Cup. Cummins was vocal about his disappointment at missing selection for the second Test in Brisbane, expressing that he felt “filthy” at being left out.
We don’t know what the captain’s future in the series might be. At 32 years old, Cummins has faced a gauntlet of ongoing injury worries, causing many to question whether he would make it to Melbourne at all. He noted, “We’ll work it out over the next couple of days. I doubt I’ll be playing Melbourne, then we’ll have a chat about Sydney.”
If Cummins does miss the fourth Test, then Steve Smith is the most likely candidate to take over as captain. Smith would bring a tremendous amount of leadership and filmmaking experience to a series that is now facing a very sensitive tipping point.
Lyon’s situation adds to the team’s challenges. He pulled his hamstring in the field on the fifth day of the third Test. After a tough outing, Lyon returned to form with a dynamic performance. He added two in the first innings and three in the second, cementing his place as Australia’s second-highest Test wicket-taker.
Cummins reflected on Lyon’s contributions, stating, “Gaz is pretty close to irreplaceable – the ability to take breakthroughs, but control an innings is really important.” The absence of Lyon would be a huge blow to Australia’s star-studded bowling attack heading into the final two Tests.
The much-anticipated fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is make-or-break for both teams. With the series already secured, Australia will look to build on their winning momentum. Following Melbourne, the fifth Test will take place just five days later in Sydney, adding pressure on the team to make swift decisions regarding player fitness and strategy.
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