Australian captain in a historic display of leadership and fast bowling prowess Pat Cummins has reached a great stage during the period Adelaide Ashes Test 2025-26 series vs England.
Pat Cummins equals Imran Khan’s legendary feat against England in 3rd Ashes 2025-26 Test.
By leading Australia to victory in the third Test at the Adelaide Oval on 21 December 2025, Cummins became only the second captain in Test cricket history to take 150 wickets while leading his side. This achievement places him alongside the legendary Pakistani all-rounder and captain Imran Khanpreviously standing alone in this elite category. Cummins reached the 151-wicket mark as captain in just his 38th Test at the helm, boasting a superior strike rate and average compared to many of his predecessors.
Elite company: Most wickets as captain in Tests
Only 10 captains have crossed the 100 mark in the history of the game, but the gap between the top two and the rest of the field is now significant.
| Player | country | Fits like a captain | Doors | 5-Wkt Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imran Khan | Pakistan | 48 | 187 | 12 |
| Pat Cummins | Australia | 38 | 151 | 9 |
| Richie Benaud | Australia | 28 | 138 | 9 |
| Garry Sobers | West India | 39 | 117 | 3 |
| Daniel Vettori | New Zealand | 32 | 116 | 6 |
| Kapil Dev | India | 34 | 111 | 4 |
Also READ: England captain Ben Stokes opens another Ashes series defeat in Australia
A remarkable Adelaide Test for Cummins
Cummins’ performance in the Adelaide Test wasn’t just about the captain’s club of 150; he also rewrote several other sections of the record books:
- Mitchell surpasses Johnson: With the 315th Test wicket of his career, Cummins has moved into the past Mitchell Johnson (313 wickets) to become Australia’s 6th highest wicket-taker of all time in Test cricket.
- Root Nemesis: Cummins was fired Joe Root 13th time in Tests during the second innings. This is the most bowlers to dismiss the English batting maestro in the five-day format.
- Advantages of ash: The Australian skipper has now taken 97 Ashes wickets in just 20 matches, maintaining an average of 23.57.
Despite his red-hot form, Cummins indicated he may miss the upcoming Boxing Day Test in Melbourne after the Adelaide win. The captain, who secured a 3-0 lead to retain the Ashes, suggested a risk reassessment of his workload.
“Now that the series has been won, it might feel like it’s over and let’s reassess the risk. I suspect I’ll play in Melbourne and then we’ll talk about Sydney.” Cummins told the media after the Adelaide Test.
With Cummins potentially stepping back to rest, Australia can look to the strength of their bench to complete a potential whitewash, with the captain cementing his legacy as one of the greatest bowling leaders the game has ever seen.
