Australia Leave Out Khawaja for Key Ashes Test
Australia leave out Usman Khawaja for the third Ashes Test as Ben Stokes calls it his most important game, with Ashes hopes on the line.
Australia has decided against recalling batsman Usman Khawaja for the crucial third Ashes Test – a match Ben Stokes has described as the most important of his time as England captain.
Trailing 2-0 after defeats in the first two Tests, England must win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of regaining the Ashes trophy alive.
A defeat would mean a fourth consecutive series loss in Australia, extending England's Ashes drought to at least 12 years and putting significant pressure on the visiting team's management.
Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum, and managing director Rob Key would all face serious questions about their positions.
"I've enjoyed the build-up, I've enjoyed the pressure of the importance of this game. As it's got closer, it's become a lot easier. That's how I deal with big things and big moments – confront it, accept it, and deal with all the emotions that come with it.
"And what can you do? Don't let the moment overwhelm me or feel like it's going to control me." "I'll go out there, put all that stuff aside and just do what I need to do in each situation, and try and do my absolute best."
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Pat Cummins will return to captain Australia after missing the first two Tests as he recovered from a back problem.
Fast bowler Cummins and off-spinner Nathan Lyon have been included in the Australian squad that won the second Test in Brisbane, replacing Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett.
This means there is no return for opener Usman Khawaja, who missed the Gabba Test with back spasms. Khawaja turns 39 on Thursday and may have played his last match in his 85-Test career.
Travis Head and Jake Weatherald will continue as the opening partnership.
Australia were 2-0 up in the last Ashes series in the UK in 2023, but England fought back to draw the series 2-2.
Cummins said his team had learned "some lessons" from that experience and also insisted he is fully fit to bowl without restriction in Adelaide.
The 32-year-old has not played a match since the tour of the West Indies in July, after scans revealed a back problem.
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Match fitness could be crucial in the high temperatures expected when the match starts on Wednesday (23:30 GMT Tuesday).
"I took a complete break from bowling for 16 weeks, made sure the bone healed properly and then I've been building back up from there," Cummins said.
"Normally you'd probably come back in three or four months, but that would have meant I missed the Ashes.
"We put together a pretty aggressive plan to get back in six or seven weeks. I haven't had any issues. I feel great, probably better than I thought I would. The back's healed well, so, here we are.
Following the defeat in the second Test in Brisbane, Stokes said his dressing room was "no place for weak men".
England spent some time on holiday in Noosa after that defeat, then trained for three days in Adelaide.
The tourists have made one change to their team, with Josh Tongue replacing fellow fast bowler Gus Atkinson. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir has once again been overlooked in favour of all-rounder Will Jacks.
All-rounder Stokes took over the captaincy in 2022 and his partnership with McCullum yielded 10 wins in their first 11 matches in charge.
Since those first 11 matches, England have won 16 and lost 15 of their next 33. They have not won any of their five-Test series against Australia or India.
With fast bowler Mark Wood ruled out of the series due to a knee problem, Stokes is one of only four members of the England squad who were part of the previous Ashes tour.
The 34-year-old has suggested that some of the newer players in the squad have struggled with the atmosphere of the series.
"I think there's quite a few players in the dressing room who won't have that to fall back on," Stokes said. "I felt I had to draw on my experiences, and put that across to the group."
Ashes tour defeats often lead to significant changes in England teams. The defeat in Adelaide will not only put pressure on Stokes, McCullum, and Key, but will also raise questions about the international future of several players.
"I've probably used my voice more than I have at any other time in the last three and a half years," Stokes said.
"We're in a situation where we know we have to win three games. There were some things I felt the group needed to hear, but there were also some things I felt I needed to say so that I could go out onto the field with a very clear mind."
"We're in a situation where we know we need to win three games. There were some things I felt the team needed to hear, and there were also some things I felt I needed to say so that we could go into this week with a very clear mindset.
"I've left no stone unturned in terms of the mental aspect of the game and the situation we're going into.
"The expectations for what we want to see this week – I've talked a lot about fight, determination, and courage over the last few days. I expect us to see something completely different, simply because of the situation we're in."
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