Preview: Australia vs. England - prediction, team news, Ashes series so far

England will aim to keep the Ashes alive when they meet Australia in the third Test at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday in the 2025-26 series.

As for Australia, they will know that another victory would secure an unassailable 3-0 lead and confirm that they have retained the urn with two matches still to go. 

Match preview

With only six days of cricket completed across the opening two Tests, Ben Stokes and his England side have had ample time to assess what has gone wrong as they stare at the brink of a series defeat. 

Following a brief and well-documented mid-series break in Noosa, England returned to training on Sunday, turning their attention to the Adelaide Test as they attempt to spark a revival and keep alive hopes of reclaiming the Ashes for the first time in more than a decade. 

The day-night Test in Brisbane did at least provide a milestone moment for Joe Root, who scored his first century on Australian soil. 

Coming in with England unsurprisingly in deep trouble at 5-2, Root's 138 not out cemented his place as one of the game's greatest ever. 

However, that innings proved to be a rare bright spot in an otherwise humiliating performance. 

England's first-innings total of 334 was met with an imposing reply of 511 from the Aussies. 

Mitchell Starc continued his outstanding series by backing up his first-innings figures of 6/75 with another two wickets, taking his total to 18 for the series, as England were then dismissed for 241 in their second innings.

Although Ben Stokes and Will Jacks showed resistance with a seventh-wicket partnership of 96, to briefly lift England into a slender lead, the visitors quickly fell away in familiar fashion and set Australia a target of just 65 runs. 

The hosts wasted no time in finishing the job, cruising to victory in ten overs as Steve Smith struck Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson for towering sixes. 

© Imago / IMAGO / AAP

Australia will be delighted with the start they have made after being without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. 

Left-arm quick Starc has led the attack brilliantly through the series so far and once again added to his formidable record with the pink ball in hand with eight wickets in Brisbane. 

Cummins is expected to return to the side next week and will resume the captaincy after Smith has stood in for him and led the Aussies to two wins from two. 

Smith's aggressive 23 off just nine balls included a war of words between him and Archer as he hooked a six off a 93mph bouncer to add to the fireworks. 

Hitting the winning runs not long after, he ensured that Stokes's England side were left soul-searching ahead of a must-win third Test. 

Squad News

© Imago / IMAGO / Sports Press Photo

Heading into the third test, Australia have welcomed back captain Cummins to the squad, returning after suffering a back injury that caused him to miss the opening two tests, though who he replaces remains a mystery. 

Michael Neser impressed with a five-wicket haul in the day-nighter and will be hard to drop, so Brendan Doggett, who made his test debut earlier in the series, looks like the likely choice to make way at Adelaide. 

Nathan Lyon, Australia's third-highest wicket-taker in Test history, was surprisingly omitted in Brisbane as the hosts opted for an all-seam attack. 

Having been dropped for a home Test for the first time in 13 years, Lyon is expected to return to the fold. 

Although the return of Cummins and Lyon is expected, Hazlewood will play no further part in the series after suffering a setback in his recovery from an Achilles injury. 

Travis Head, who scored a blistering 123 from 83 balls in the second innings of the first Test while opening, is likely to return to his usual position at number five.

With Khawaja in the squad following a back injury, he will likely return to the top of the order and open with Jake Weatherald for the first time. 

England's tour down under has been complicated further by the loss of Mark Wood, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the series following persistent knee problems that have forced him to return to the UK early. 

His 11-over appearance in Perth may prove to be his final outing in an England Test shirt.

Wood's absence last time out saw Will Jacks come in to strengthen the batting, but Stokes and Brendon McCullum may look to turn to Josh Tongue or Matthew Fisher, after the latter was called up as cover. 

McCullum has indicated that the top seven is likely to remain the same, offering further chances to Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith, all of whom remain under pressure.  

If changes are eventually made, Jacob Bethell and Asa Tribe are options after impressing for the Lions. 

Shoaib Bashir could also come in for his Ashes debut if England opt for a frontline spinner for the first time. 

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (C), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (WK), Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England squad: Ben Stokes (C), Harry Brook (VC), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (WK), Josh Tongue

Adelaide pitch update

The third Test of 2025-26 series will take place at the Adelaide Oval, a ground that holds up to 53,500 fans. 

With several days remaining before the third test begins, the surface is set to be exposed to intense heat, something that could influence its appearance and behaviour by the time of the toss. 

Early indications suggest conditions will favour batters at the start of the match, with spinners coming into the game as the Test progresses, assuming England can push the game that far. 

We say: Australia to win

Adelaide traditionally offers good early batting conditions, making the toss crucial. With a 2-0 lead already in the bag, Australia will look to wrap up the Ashes at the earliest opportunity. They enter as clear favourites and we expect the hosts to seal the series and add to the scrutiny already under McCullum and Rob Key.