Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will not play for Australia in the second Test of the ongoing Ashes series against England. The Cricket Australia (CA) selectors on Friday (November 28) announced an unchanged
squad for the pink-ball Test against the Poms, which will be played from December 4 to 8 at The Gabba in Brisbane. Cummins, who is the captain of Australia’s Test and ODI side, will, however, travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations.
In Cummins’ absence, Steve Smith will captain the Baggy Greens once again, and the squad also includes Usman Khawaja, who didn’t come out to bat in the second innings of the series opener at Perth’s Optus Stadium due to back spasms.
But according to cricket.com.au, the left-handed batter will need to prove his fitness when the squad assembles in Brisbane on Sunday.
It will be interesting to see if Travis Head, who scored a quickfire century (in 69 balls) in the second innings of the Perth Test, opens once again in Brisbane.
According to Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald, the hosts have “a lot to consider” regarding their batting order for the second Test, and Head said he was “comfortable” in any position.
If Khawaja misses out, then Head could open the innings, and that will allow Australia to include Josh Inglis or Beau Webster as a middle-order batter.
Australia’s squad for the 2nd Ashes Test: Steve Smith (C), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (WK), Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (WK), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
Australia won in Perth
Australia won the first Test of the 2025-26 Ashes series inside two days at Optus Stadium by eight wickets. Legendary fast bowler Mitchell Starc dismissed a total of 10 English batters in the absence of Cummins and Hazlewood to set up a memorable triumph for the 2023 World Test Championship winners. In addition to him, Scott Boland also picked up four wickets in the second innings, and debutant Brendan Doggett accounted for the dismissal of five opposition batters (2 in the 1st innings, 3 in the 2nd innings).
For the visitors, their captain Ben Stokes picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings, but none of his teammates had any answer to Head’s assault in the second innings.
