How Pat Cummins could break an unwanted 118-year-old record for an Aussie captain when the fifth Ashes Test begins

Pat Cummins is on the verge of an unwanted 118-year first as an Australian Test captain.

Only this time even his harshest critics can’t lay into the 30-year-old.

It involves the toss. Cummins is seemingly not very good at calling correctly.

In four Tests in this Ashes series, Cummins called tails. And on all four occasions heads won.

Another loss at The Oval in Thursday’s series finale would mark the first time an Australian captain has lost all five tosses in a five-Test series since Joe Darling in 1905.

Cummins has called tails before every Ashes Test – and it’s come up heads every time

If Cummins (pictured with England skipper Ben Stokes before the fourth Ashes Test) loses the toss again it’ll be the first time such a thing has happened since 1905

Darling’s losing run in 1905 came after he broke a time-honoured tradition in the first Test, tossing his own coin as touring captain, and lost.

By the end of the tour England believed karma had come back to bite Darling.

But Cummins won’t change a thing come Thursday morning. There will be no trickery, or even a change of heart to call heads.

‘There’s been a lot of talk about it,’ Cummins quipped.

‘Tosses are meant to be 50-50 but it’s amazing how people have theories on it.

‘l’ll stick with tails I think.

‘It would be courageous switching. … I think I’m sticking with tails.’

Cummins’ toss record is even worse when considering he also lost the toss in the World Test Championship final to India at The Oval last month.

Cummins also lost the toss in the World Test Championship final at The Oval last month

The Aussie skipper says he will be sticking with tails again before the match at The Oval

But it also serves as a sign of the challenges Australia have faced while still 2-1 up in the series with one Test to play.

Of the 18 Test series in history when a team had lost five coin tosses, only twice has the unlucky side managed to win the series.

That was in dour 1-0 Ashes series wins to England in 1953 and 1978-79.

Australia have routinely batted through the toughest circumstances in this Ashes series, with the ball moving much more under cloudy overheads in England.

England’s preference to bowl first if they win the toss will be crucial at The Oval with rain forecast in the hours before the match, making this call even more important for Cummins if Australia are to win the Ashes.