Australia could be without both Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon for the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne, which begins on Boxing Day.

Australian captain Pat Cummins said he is unlikely to play in the Boxing Day Test, while he also admitted his surprise at England’s abandonment of Bazball at the Adelaide Oval.

Australia captain Pat Cummins praised his players for persevering through a raft of injury setbacks as the hosts celebrated retaining the Ashes with victory over England in the third test in Adelaide on Sunday.

Prior to day two of this Test, December 18, Cummins last bowled a ball in a competitive game of cricket on July 13. He went 16 weeks in that time without bowling a single ball, even in the nets, to let his lumbar bone stress injury heal.

With Nathan Lyon seemingly picking up a hamstring injury and Cummins focusing on his fitness, the home side could be seeing up to three changes for the next Test in Melbourne as star batter, Steve Smith still recovers from the illness that kept him out of the Adelaide Test.

He’s achieved an Ashes feat that few other captains have. But he’s still missing an outright win in England

Australia captain Pat Cummins has conceded he is unlikely to feature in the Boxing Day Test and may not play again in the series after his team was able to secure a "pretty amazing" Ashes victory in Adelaide to retain the urn in just 11 days of playing time.

Centuries from Alex Carey and Travis Head, along with fiery spells from skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, powered Australia overcome a valiant England during a record run-chase of 435 runs in the 3rd Test match at Adelaide.

Australia captain Pat Cummins has reached a major milestone in Test cricket, previously achieved only by former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, during the

Australia's cricket captain, Pat Cummins, met his wife, Becky, in 2013, and they now share two kids. Read all about their family here.