Stokes’ side plans five-day build-up for Gabba Test after heavy defeat

Brisbane, 27 November 2025:

England have scheduled additional training sessions in Brisbane after being thrashed inside two days in the first Ashes Test in Perth.

The tourists, beaten twice in 67.3 overs in their heaviest Ashes collapse since 1904, will now spend five days preparing for next Thursday’s day-night Test at the Gabba. The extended buildup, one of the longest since Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took charge includes sessions at Allan Border Field on Saturday and an added Gabba training slot on Sunday. Two workouts, on Monday and Wednesday, will be under lights.

England’s choice not to send any members of the first-Test XI to join the England Lions’ pink-ball match in Canberra this weekend has sparked criticism, given the 11-day gap created by the early defeat and the day-night conditions awaiting in Brisbane. Michael Vaughan called the move “nonsense,” while Jonathan Agnew labeled it “bizarre.” Former captain Alec Stewart, however, backed Stokes and McCullum to stay the course.

Three squad members who did not play in Perth — Jacob Bethell, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue have been released for the Lions fixture. England argue that contrasting conditions in Canberra, where the pitch is expected to play slow and low, would offer little benefit ahead of the fast, bouncy Gabba surface. Brisbane temperatures are forecast in the mid-30s, compared with the mid-20s in Canberra.

England have won only two of their seven day-night Tests and have not won at the Gabba since 1986.

Australia, meanwhile, have taken 13 of their 14 pink-ball matches, with their only defeat coming against West Indies in Brisbane in January 2024.

Australia are expected to confirm their squad for the second Test before the weekend. Captain Pat Cummins, who missed the opener with a back issue, has been bowling with a pink ball in Sydney and could return, while Josh Hazlewood is unlikely to be fit. A Cummins comeback would hand the hosts the option of an all-pace attack and raise selection questions around Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett.

Usman Khawaja’s fitness also remains uncertain after back spasms in Perth forced Travis Head to open before he produced a match-winning century. Josh Inglis is available as batting cover after scoring a hundred for a Cricket Australia XI earlier in the week.

The Perth pitch used for the first Test has been rated “very good” by the ICC – the match was the first two-day Ashes contest in 104 years.