Captain Pat Cummins will not make his return from injury next week, excluded from Australia’s unchanged 14-player squad for the second Ashes Test against England at the Gabba.
On Friday afternoon, Cricket Australia confirmed the 32-year-old, who is in the final stages of recovery from a lumbar back stress injury that ruled him out of last week’s series opener in Perth, has been wrapped in cotton wool and will continue his preparations in Brisbane.
Cummins remains a chance of featuring in the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval, which commences on December 17.
Watch The Ashes 2025/26 LIVE and ad-break free during play with FOX CRICKET on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1 >
Veteran opener Usman Khawaja has retained his place in the squad despite concerns about his fitness having suffered back spasms in the West Australian capital, with middle-order dynamo Travis Head thumping a 69-ball century at the top of the order in his absence. It remains to be seen whether the South Australian once again faces the new ball in the Queensland capital or returns to his preferred spot at No. 5.
If Head opens the batting, it would create a vacancy in the middle order for either all-rounder Beau Webster or reserve wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, who has been in scintillating form with the bat.
Elsewhere, seamers Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott remain unavailable for selection due to their hamstring setbacks.
“It’s coming along slowly,” Hazlewood told reporters at the SCG on Friday.
“I’ll have another bowl today, just started the other day. Running and everything’s going well.
“It’s probably tough to put a timeline on (recovery) … play a part in the back end, hopefully.
“Hopefully it’s not still in the balance, hopefully we’re on top by then.”
Cummins was seen bowling with the pink Kookaburra at Silverwater’s Cricket Central on Tuesday, prompting speculation he was preparing to play the Gabba Test.
Asked about his captain on Friday, Hazlewood replied: “He’s been ticking a lot of boxes the last few weeks. I saw him bowl on Tuesday with the pink ball, everything was going pretty good.”
Australia leads the five-match series 1-0 having won the first Test by eight wickets. The second Ashes Test, a day-night contest with the pink Kookaburra, gets underway at the Gabba on December 4 at 3pm AEDT.
Australian squad for second Ashes Test
Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett
