Australia’s Captain Pat Cummins remains resolute in their pursuit to win a Test series in England, despite retaining the Ashes in a rain-affected draw at Old Trafford.

Due to persistent rain, the final day of the fourth Test concluded without any play, depriving England of a potential series-levelling victory, even though they had dominated the match.

The outcome ensured that Australia, as the current holders, maintained a 2-1 lead in the series with one Test left at The Oval, beginning on Thursday. However, securing their first Ashes series win in England since 2001 still requires Australia to avoid defeat in London.

Speaking to reporters, Cummins expressed mixed feelings about the situation, stating, “It is a bit of a strange one… we have retained the Ashes, but it has not been our greatest week.” He further emphasized the team’s ambition to win the series, regardless of the outcome of the rain-marred draw.

Australia ended their second innings at 214-5, trailing England’s mammoth first-innings total of 592, wherein Zak Crawley’s remarkable 189 and Jonny Bairstow’s unbeaten 99 contributed significantly.

Reflecting on his own performance, Cummins admitted he had not bowled well, recording his most expensive Test haul of 1-129 in 23 overs. He also acknowledged the challenges posed by England’s aggressive batting tactics, known as ‘Bazball,’ which made his captaincy decisions difficult.

While Australia may have secured the Ashes, Cummins expressed that their joy would be subdued given their performance this week.

On the other side, England captain Ben Stokes praised his team’s efforts, stating that they would be remembered as an entertaining and dynamic team that has transformed their approach to red-ball cricket. Despite the draw, Stokes saw their impact as a positive legacy for English cricket.

Looking ahead to The Oval finale, Stokes emphasized the need to regroup and focus on securing a victory, as a 2-2 series result would hold more appeal than a 3-1 defeat.