Australia have chosen not to recall batsman Usman Khawaja for the crucial third Ashes Test – a game that Ben Stokes has called the most important of his England captaincy.
England trailed 2-0 in each of their first two Test matches and must win in Adelaide to keep their hopes of regaining the Tower alive.
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A defeat would mean Australia’s fourth consecutive series defeat, extending England’s 12-year run without an Ashes title and putting huge pressure on the visitors’ management.
The positions of Stokes, head coach Brendan McCullum and general manager Rob Key will all come under intense scrutiny.
“I’ve had a lot of big moments in my career. This is another one that I’m really looking forward to,” Stokes told BBC Sport.
“I’m enjoying the build-up, I’m enjoying the pressure of this game. It gets a lot easier as we get closer. That’s how I deal with big things and big moments – look at it, accept it and deal with all the emotions that come with it.
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“What else are you supposed to do? Don’t let this moment overwhelm me or feel like it’s going to control me. I’m going to go out there and put all that stuff aside and do what I need to do in every situation that I’m put in and give it my best shot.”
Pat Cummins will return to the Australian lead after missing the first two Tests while recovering from a back problem.
Pace bowler Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon joined the Australia squad that won the second Test in Brisbane, replacing Michael Nether and Brendan Doggett.
This means there will be no return for opener Khawaja, who missed the Test at the Gabba with back spasms. Khawaja turns 39 on Thursday and this could be the last game of his 85-match Test career.
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Travis Head and Jake Weatherald will remain as opening partners
In the last Ashes match in England in 2023, Australia led 2-0, but England fought back and drew 2-2.
Cummins said his team had learned “some lessons” from the experience and were confident he was fit enough to play without restrictions in Adelaide.
The 32-year-old has not played since a scan revealed a back problem following the tour of the West Indies in July.
High temperatures are expected when Wednesday’s match kicks off (23:30 GMT on Tuesday), so match fitness could be crucial.
“I haven’t bowled at all for 16 weeks to make sure the bone heals well and work my way back up from there,” Cummins said.
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“Normally you might get an upgrade in three to four months, but that means you miss the Ashes.
“We made a very aggressive plan to be up in six to seven weeks. I didn’t have any hiccups. I feel great, probably better than I thought. The back is healing really well, so, here we are.”
Australia XI for third Ashes Test: Travis Head, Jack Wesselard, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brooke, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Brendan Cass, Jofra Archer, Josh Tonge.
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After the second Test defeat in Brisbane, Stokes said his dressing room was “not for weaklings”.
Since that defeat, England have spent part of their holiday in Noosa before training in Adelaide for three days.
The tourists made one change to their squad, with Josh Tongue replacing fellow bowler Gus Atkinson. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir has once again been overlooked and replaced by all-rounder Will Jacks.
All-rounder Stokes took over as captain in 2022 and his partnership with McCullum registered 10 wins in his first 11 games in charge.
After the first 11 games, England won 16 and lost 15 of their next 33 matches. They have not won any of their five Test matches against Australia or India.
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With pace bowler Mark Wood ruled out of the series due to a knee problem, Stokes remains one of only four players in the England squad to feature in the Ashes tour.
The 34-year-old said some people new to Australia struggled with the show’s atmosphere.
“I know a lot of guys in the locker room can’t rely on that,” Stokes said. “I feel like what I have to do is lean on my own experience and express that to the team.”
Failure in the Ashes tour often brings sweeping changes to England’s squads. Defeat in Adelaide will not only put pressure on Stokes, McCullum and Key but also raise questions about the international futures of a number of players.
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“I’ve probably used my voice more than I ever have in the last three and a half years,” Stokes said.
“We’re in a situation where we know we need to win three games. I feel like the team needs to hear something, but I also feel like I need to say something to be able to go out this week with a very clear head.
“I’m definitely leaving no stone unturned in terms of the mental side of the game and what we’re getting into.
“In terms of expectations of what we hope to see this week – I’ve said a lot over the last few days about fight, determination and grit. I’m hoping we’ll see something completely different purely because of the situation we find ourselves in here.”
