"What happened today doesn’t really change how we look at the next game" - Cummins aims to win the Ashes series outright despite fate being sealed 

Australia skipper Pat Cummins stated that his team will treat the Ashes series finale as a must-win clash despite officially retaining the urn. The Men in Yellow ensured that the series would not slip from their grasp after the rain-curtailed fourth Test in Old Trafford, Manchester, ended in a draw.

The visitors were perilously placed at 214-5 at the end of Day 4, with all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh occupying the crease. England were firm favorites with as many as 98 overs in hand to claim those final five wickets, but persistent rain prevented them from bowling even a single delivery.

Even if Australia lose the final Test at the Oval, resulting in the series ending 2-2, they will retain the Ashes as the current holders of the urn. However, Cummins has asserted that they will not treat the upcoming contest lightly in any manner, even though the stakes have seemingly decreased.

He said after the final day was abandoned due to rain:

"Our preference is to come over here and win the Ashes. Not the greatest of circumstances but happy to retain it now. What happened today doesn’t really change how we look at the next game. It’s been an amazing group, we all turned up here very motivated. Will be a special week at the Oval."

Cummins continued:

"In the last year or two, [I've dreamed of lifting the urn]. It'll be special, but more special if we get a win. England batted really well, we tried a couple of plans but it didn’t work. We weren’t at our best so we’ll look at that."

Old Trafford was the site where Australia retained the Ashes during the 2019 series in England. Back then, they marked the occasion with a triumphant win on the back of Steve Smith's double ton.

The final Test still holds great importance for Pat Cummins and Co., as they aim to be the first Australian team to win a red-ball series in England since 2001.

"As a group, we're proud we have retained the Ashes, but it has not been our greatest week" - Pat Cummins

Australia were far from their best over the course of the fourth Test. Coming into Manchester on the back of a narrow loss at Leeds, the visitors scored 317 in the first inning and proceeded to concede 592 runs in 107 overs.

Admitting their own shortcomings in the Test, which was ultimately decided by the weather, Cummins said:

"As a group we're proud we have retained the Ashes but it has not been our greatest week. It's good that we have retained but we know we have a fair bit of work to do for next week. It is a pretty similar group to 2019 when we retained and we came away feeling OK, but it felt a bit like we had missed what we came over to achieve."

The fifth Ashes Test is scheduled to begin from July 27 at The Oval in London.

Will Australia manage to win the series outright or will England play spoilsport once again to level things up on paper? Let us know what you think.