Third Test at Adelaide started early today December 17. Big drama morning, Steve Smith sick with vertigo, cannot play. So Usman Khawaja come back suddenly. While the pitch looks good for batting, Australia won the toss and chosen to bat.
But England bowled well first. Jofra Archer come back and take wickets quick. Australia lost seven batsmen already while preparing this , go to something like 94 for 4. Archer take 3, trouble everyone but the balance 297 for 7 .
Khawaja played very well and scored 82 runs, helping to stabilize the Australian team after early pressure. He built an important partnership with Alex Carey, who also batted confidently and reached a half-century, with the possibility of scoring even more. Khawaja was eventually dismissed for 82, caught near the boundary while attempting a sweep shot. After that, Australia lost a few more wickets, but Carey continued to bat strongly and looked capable of reaching a century.
By the end of the day’s play, which was not yet complete, Australia had recovered to around 303 for 7 wickets. Carey remained at the crease and was batting well with the lower-order players. England bowled with good effort, and Jofra Archer was the standout bowler. However, Australia were still in a reasonable position because they were playing at home and the pitch appeared to be fairly flat and good for batting.
It is too early to predict the result for Day 3 since Day 1 is still in progress and Day 2 is yet to be played. The outcome will depend on Australia’s total score. If Carey and the remaining batsmen can push the total beyond 350, Australia will be in a very strong position. On the other hand, if England can take quick wickets and restrict Australia to under 300, England will still have a good chance to compete.
England and Australia have been playing Test cricket since 1882, making this the longest and most famous rivalry in the sport. So far, they have played around 362 Test matches, with Australia winning 152, England winning 112, and 98 ending in draws. In Ashes series history, Australia have won 34 series, while England have won 32, with a few drawn series.
Australia are usually much stronger when playing at home, especially at venues like the Adelaide Oval, where they have recorded many victories against England. In the current 2025–26 Ashes series in Australia, Australia are already leading 2–0 after winning the first Test in Perth and the second in Brisbane.
Overall, Australia appear to have a higher chance of winning this match, roughly around 60–70 percent, due to their series lead, home advantage, and bowling strength suited to these conditions. England need a win badly, but their batting form has not been very strong recently. A draw is possible if the match slows down or weather intervenes, but it does not seem very likely at this stage.
