Australian skipper Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon were Tuesday ruled out of the fourth Ashes Test against England with the veteran spinner facing surgery and an extended period on the sidelines.

Elated Australia skipper Pat Cummins Sunday said retaining the Ashes after just three Tests was "hugely satisfying" and vowed no let up in Melbourne while casting doubt on whether he and Nathan Lyon would play.

Batting coach Marcus Trescothick said England would keep "fighting and scrapping" as the Ashes slipped from their grip Thursday, while paying tribute to a dehydrated Ben Stokes.

An emotional Alex Carey called his 106 on home soil in front of family and friends in the third Ashes Test a "special moment" Wednesday, with the century coming just months after his father died.

Fit-again opener Usman Khawaja was overlooked for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide on Wednesday as Australia skipper Pat Cummins and veteran Nathan Lyon were named to make their return.

Cummins is the only addition to an otherwise unchanged squad from Brisbane, where Australia won by eight wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Australia captain Steve Smith has declined to rule out a surprise return for fast bowler Pat Cummins for the second Ashes Test against England, while backing middle order option Josh Inglis to make a difference if picked by selectors.

Cummins has not played since picking up a lower back injury against the West Indies four months ago.

Australia coach Andrew McDonald is hopeful skipper Pat Cummins will be able to play in the second Ashes Test and thinks it highly unlikely that quick Josh Hazlewood will miss the whole series.

Australia was dealt a huge blow Saturday with pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood ruled out of the first Ashes Test against England with a hamstring strain, joining Pat Cummins on the sidelines.

Australia captain Pat Cummins is back bowling multiple overs on a reduced run-up and has targeted returning to the team for the second Ashes Test against England, a day-nighter in Brisbane starting on December 4.

Coach Andrew McDonald said Cummins had now resumed running and would be back bowling this week, offering hope the 32-year-old might be fit to take part in the day-night second Test in Brisbane from December 4.

Skipper Pat Cummins has poured cold water on Australia fielding four frontline fast bowlers during the Ashes series against England, saying it was "very unlikely" spinner Nathan Lyon will be overlooked.

Injured Australia captain Pat Cummins said Monday that he was "probably less likely than likely" to be fit for the first Ashes Test next month, but was still clinging to a shred of hope.

With the prospect of captain Pat Cummins being fit for the Ashes receding by the day, Australia's hopes of retaining the urn may rest on managing one of the biggest shake-ups to their leadership and bowling against England in years.

Australia captain Pat Cummins has not resumed bowling after suffering a back injury and will miss the opening Ashes Test against England in Perth in late November, multiple local media outlets reported on Wednesday.

Pat Cummins says he will do whatever it takes to play the Ashes against England starting in November, with the Australian skipper prepared to "take a few risks" with a back injury that has sidelined him.

The 32-year-old fast bowler was rested from the recent white-ball series against the West Indies and South Africa and is still dealing with what Cricket Australia described as "lumbar bone stress".

Glenn McGrath has backed Australia to secure a 5-0 clean sweep in the 2025-26 Ashes, predicting another dominant display on home soil when the series begins in November.  

Australia could shake up their batting after crashing to South Africa in the World Test Championship final, with captain Pat Cummins saying a "reset" was needed ahead of three Tests in the West Indies and a home Ashes series.