Brisbane, 28 November 2025:
Australia will again be without captain Pat Cummins for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane as he continues to recover from a back injury.
Cummins, 32, has not played since July and missed Australia’s stunning victory over England in the series opener in Perth. He bowled in the nets in Perth and later in Sydney and had been expected to return for the day-night Test at the Gabba starting Thursday.
However, Australia named an unchanged 14-man squad, with Steve Smith to lead the side for a second straight match. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood also remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while opener Usman Khawaja keeps his spot.
Cummins is understood not to have completed the return-to-play program required for Test selection. He will link up with the squad in Brisbane on Sunday as he continues building toward a comeback. His absence from the second Test gives him nearly three more weeks to target a return in the third match in Adelaide beginning 17 December.
Hazlewood, 34, has also been bowling in the Sydney nets this week, but there is no indication when he will be available.
Without Cummins and Hazlewood, Australia could again field the same attack for the pink-ball Test. Left-armer Mitchell Starc claimed 10 wickets in Perth and was named player of the match, supported by Scott Boland, debutant Brendan Doggett, all-rounder Cameron Green and off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon struggled in Perth after being struck on the hand by England pacer Mark Wood. Should Australia drop their frontline spinner in Brisbane, his replacement would likely be seamer Michael Neser or all-rounder Beau Webster.
Khawaja’s position is under scrutiny after he was unable to open the innings in either knock in Perth. Travis Head moved up from No. 5 in the second innings and produced a brilliant Ashes century to lead Australia’s chase. If Khawaja is omitted on his home ground, Josh Inglis could come in after making a hundred for a Cricket Australia XI against England Lions on Monday.
Australia have not lost an Ashes Test in Brisbane since 1986. They have dropped just one of their 14 pink-ball Tests and hold a perfect record against England in three Ashes day-nighters.
England, meanwhile, elected not to send any of their first-Test XI to a two-day pink-ball match between England Lions and the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra beginning Saturday. Instead, the tourists have scheduled two additional training sessions before the second Test and will return to practice at Allan Border Field on Saturday, when captain Ben Stokes is expected to speak to reporters.
Australia squad for second Ashes Test: Steve Smith (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
