Australia Leads Ashes Series 3-0 as England Faces Challenges
Australia has taken a commanding 3-0 lead in the 2025-26 Ashes series after the Adelaide Test, with two matches remaining in Melbourne and Sydney.
Despite the series defeat, England captain Ben Stokes has pledged to retain his leadership role and acknowledged his disappointment with the team's performance.
Head coach Brendon McCullum expressed regret over the Ashes preparations, noting the limited lead-in practice that consisted primarily of a white-ball tour of New Zealand and an intra-squad match in Perth. He accepted responsibility for the preparations.
England's bowling and overall execution were described as underwhelming, with discipline and execution lacking across batting, bowling, and fielding, while Australia outplayed them in all these aspects.
Australia's Pat Cummins made a significant return in Adelaide by taking six wickets. However, he may miss the upcoming Melbourne Test and will reassess his availability for the Sydney match as he continues his accelerated comeback from a back stress injury.
Nathan Lyon, who returned to take five wickets for 147 runs in the match, sustained a hamstring injury on the final morning in Adelaide and is out for the remainder of the series.
Cummins suggested that the Boxing Day Test may be too soon for his return and that a decision regarding the Sydney Test will follow after further evaluation post-Adelaide.
