The Ashes moves to Adelaide Oval for the third Test from December 17–21, which is expected to be a high-scoring match. Trailing 2–0 after heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane, Ben Stokes’ side faces a do-or-die scenario—another loss would hand Australia the Ashes before Christmas, further worsened by Pat Cummins’ return to the Australian XI.
While Australia remains the clear favourite, having won the last six test matches here by heavy margins, England will be hoping to develop a plan, focus on their preparations, and produce an exceptional performance to keep the series alive.
AUS vs ENG 3rd Test Ashes Match Preview
Adelaide Oval is known for its flat surface, and a high-scoring contest is expected with both teams having strong batting line-ups. Australia will carry the upper hand after their dominant 8-wicket win at the Gabba.
However, England’s Bazball approach should suit these conditions, as the idea is built around aggressive batting on good surfaces and could help them challenge Australia and register their first win in th series.
Match Facts
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | Asutralia vs England |
| Date | 17 December 2025 |
| Time | 5:00 AM IST |
| Venue | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide |
| Tournament | The Ashes 2025-2026 |
Pitch Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch type | A flat, hard wicket with true bounce. |
| Average score | Avg. first inning score: 377Avg. second inning score:346Avg. third inning score:267Avg. fourth inning score:205 |
| Favors | Mostly favors batters, reverse swing comes late in the game, and so do the spinning conditions on day 4. |
| Surface | Flat surface, ideal for bounce and ball coming onto the bat. |
| Toss factor | Teams usually prefer to bat first to take advantage of the best batting conditions and scoreboard pressure. |
Weather Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Adelaide in December is sunny, with temperatures around 35-38°C. |
| Humidity | Moderate humidity 45-60% |
| Wind speed | Roughly 24 KM/H with forecast indicating scattered storms on day 4. |
| Rain Chance | Rain is unlikely to disrupt play |
| Dew factor | There will be dry air, so dew is not a factor here. |
Toss Prediction
At Adelaide Oval, the toss can play a key role in shaping the match outcome. Historically, teams winning the toss have often opted to bat first, taking advantage of the flat, batting-friendly surface and posting imposing first-innings totals. In the last 10 Tests at Adelaide, teams batting first have won 6 times, drawn 3, and lost only once.
Injury Updates
There are no injuries in either squad, although some replacements will be on both teams.
AUS vs ENG Probable XI For The 3rd Test
Australia: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.
Dream11 Team For AUS vs ENG 3rd Test
AUS vs ENG Head-to-Head At Adelaide Oval
- 16–20 Dec 2021: Australia beat England by 275 runs
- 2–6 Dec 2017: Australia beat England by 120 runs
- 5–9 Dec 2013: Australia beat England by 218 runs
- 5–9 Jan 2011: England beat Australia by an innings and 71 runs
Suggested Reads
Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Reason |
|---|---|
| Travis Head | Has 3 test Centuries at the venue and has scored 634 runs in the last 7 tests here. Has been dominant in the previous two tests, scoring 123 runs off 83 balls in the first test. |
| Pat Cummins | Played six tests in Adelaide with 26 wickets with an average of 21.19 with best figures 5/19 |
| Mitchell Starc | A 10-wicket haul in the first match and leading wicket-taker of the series with 18 wickets, and man of the match in both tests. |
| Joe Root | Scored his first hundred in Australia, 135* of 206 balls, and has a fantastic average of 51.3 in tests. |
| Harry Brook | Score quick runs with a strike rate of 87, with the highest score of 317 in tests. |
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