Australia will be without captain Pat Cummins for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, as he continues to recuperate from a back injury. Having been sidelined since July, Cummins also missed the initial Test in Perth, where Australia delivered an astonishing triumph over England.
The 32-year-old fast bowler had practiced bowling in the nets both in Perth and Sydney, sparking optimism about his potential return for the day-night Test at the Gabba, which commences Thursday. Nevertheless, Australia has revealed an unchanged squad of 14 players, with Steve Smith stepping in as captain. Injured fast bowler Josh Hazlewood remains absent, while opener Usman Khawaja is confirmed in the lineup.
Cummins has not yet achieved the necessary preparations to rejoin the Test squad and will be arriving in Brisbane on Sunday to continue his recovery. By missing this second Test, he will have nearly three additional weeks to gear up for a potential comeback in Adelaide for the third Test starting December 17. Meanwhile, Hazlewood has been practicing in the nets after recovering from a hamstring injury, but there is no set timeline for his return.
With both Cummins and Hazlewood unavailable, Australia is expected to maintain the same bowling lineup that outperformed England in Perth. Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc took ten wickets in the first Test and was awarded player of the match, backed by Scott Boland, debutant Brendan Doggett, all-rounder Cameron Green, and off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Lyon had a tough outing in Perth, suffering a blow while batting from England's Mark Wood. Should Australia choose to omit Lyon in Brisbane, either seamer Michael Neser or all-rounder Beau Webster could step in.
Khawaja's role in the squad is under evaluation after not being fit enough to open in either innings at Perth. Travis Head, who was promoted from the number five spot, delivered one of the most memorable Ashes hundreds in the second innings, propelling Australia to victory. If Khawaja is rested on his home turf, Josh Inglis, who recently notched a century for a Cricket Australia XI versus England Lions, might get a chance.
Australia boasts a formidable track record in Brisbane, having remained unbeaten in Ashes Tests at the Gabba since 1986. The team has won all three Ashes day-night Tests held at the venue and lost just once in 14 overall pink-ball Tests.
On the English side, they have chosen not to field any members of their first-Test XI in a two-day pink-ball match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, set to start Saturday. The tourists have also arranged two extra practice sessions before the second Test, returning to training at Allan Border Field on Saturday. England’s captain Ben Stokes is likely to speak with the media ahead of the match.
The lead-up to the second Ashes Test underscores Australia’s depth and resilience despite missing key players, while England looks to regroup for a formidable challenge at the iconic Gabba.
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