Day 4 of the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval produced a memorable off-beat moment as Pat Cummins and Zak Crawley engaged in a brief but entertaining battle of mind games. With the session nearing its end, Crawley appeared to deliberately slow proceedings, sparking a playful exchange that quickly caught the attention of fans.
England were already under pressure after Australia’s strong showing, and Crawley walked out to open with Ben Duckett with only a few minutes left before the scheduled break. Instead of rushing into action, Crawley took his time settling in, seemingly keen to avoid facing an extra over against Australia’s relentless pace attack.
As the clock ticked down, Crawley’s exaggerated routines — including tapping and adjusting his bat — made his intentions clear. Cummins, spotting the tactic, responded with a smile and decided to play along, deliberately delaying his run-up by adjusting his footwear and taking extra moments to prepare.
The exchange turned into a light-hearted standoff, with both players clearly aware of the gamesmanship involved. When Cummins finally ran in, Crawley cheekily stepped away from the crease just before the ball was released, adding another layer of humour to the moment.
How good are the mind games between Pat Cummins and Zak Crawley? #Ashes pic.twitter.com/APMPhGmb6Q
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 20, 2025
Social media soon lit up with fans split over the incident. Some praised Crawley’s awareness and clever use of time, while others admired Cummins’ calm and witty response, calling it classic Ashes theatre where even the smallest moments become headline-worthy.
While no laws were broken, the episode highlighted how psychological tactics play a key role in high-stakes Test cricket. In a series already packed with drama, the Cummins-Crawley exchange served as a reminder that the Ashes is as much about mental battles as it is about runs and wickets.