Joe Root and Pat Cummins: A Rivalry That Keeps Defining the Ashes
Every great Ashes series seems to create its own personal battles, and right now, one of the most talked-about rivalries is between Joe Root and Pat Cummins. It’s a contest that has quietly grown over the years, but during the third Test of the 2025 Ashes, it once again took centre stage in dramatic fashion.
By day four at Adelaide, the script felt familiar. Pat Cummins, returning from injury and bowling like he had never been away, found that perfect channel just outside off stump. Joe Root, England’s most reliable run-scorer and a man with 40 Test hundreds to his name, was drawn into playing a shot he didn’t really need to play. The faint edge was found, the catch was taken, and Root was gone yet again. It marked the 13th time Cummins had dismissed him in Test cricket.
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Root’s reaction told the whole story. His bat was punched in frustration, and a shout of anger escaped almost instantly. That moment wasn’t just about one wicket. It was about the weight of history, the pressure of the match situation, and the growing sense that Cummins has somehow figured him out. For a batter of Root’s class, those dismissals clearly sting more than most.
What makes this rivalry so compelling is how it has developed over time. Root has played Australia dozens of times, but once Cummins entered the picture during the 2017–18 Ashes, a pattern began to form. Whether it has been edges outside off stump, perfectly pitched deliveries clipping the pads, or short balls forcing rushed shots, Cummins has repeatedly found a way through Root’s defences. Some dismissals were unplayable, others were caused by impatience, but together they have created an uncomfortable trend for England’s star batter.
In this third Test, the wicket felt especially significant. England were still clinging to hope, trying to build resistance on a relatively placid surface. Once Root fell, that resistance began to crumble. Cummins’ celebration showed he knew exactly what that moment meant. It wasn’t just another wicket; it felt like the moment the match, and possibly the series, tilted decisively Australia’s way.
For Root, the frustration is understandable. Great players expect to solve every problem eventually, and being dismissed so often by the same bowler can feel personal. For Cummins, it reinforces his reputation as the ultimate big-moment bowler, the man Australia turn to when partnerships need to be broken.
As this Ashes series continues, the Root-Cummins duel will be remembered as one of its defining themes. It’s a reminder that even the very best can have a nemesis, and in this chapter of cricket history, Pat Cummins continues to be Joe Root’s most persistent and painful obstacle.
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