Skipper Pat Cummins’ much-awaited comeback in the 2025 Ashes has been delayed after Australia named an unchanged 14-member squad for the day-night Test against traditional rivals England at the Gabba, starting December 4 in Brisbane.
Veteran opener Usman Khawaja has been included in the squad after back spasms kept him from batting in the second innings of the series opener in Perth.
Cummins, who sat out the first Test due to a back injury, has been handed an additional two weeks to complete his recovery. Australia won the Perth Test inside two days by eight wickets, and the 32-year-old fast bowler, still in the final phase of rehabilitation from lumbar stress, will travel with the squad to Brisbane despite being unavailable for selection.
With Cummins ruled out again, Brendan Doggett is expected to keep his place in the XI after his impressive five-wicket haul in Perth. He will likely join Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland in the pace attack for the pink-ball encounter.
Cummins trained strongly at the SCG on Friday, bowling at what appeared to be full tilt to Steve Smith with a pink ball for more than an hour. The session followed a similar high-intensity workout at NSW’s Cricket Central earlier in the week, according to cricket.com.au. The right-arm quick has a strong chance to return to the side for the third match in Adelaide beginning December 17.
Australia’s squad is scheduled to assemble in Brisbane on Sunday. England, who reached the city on Thursday, will train for the first time at the Gabba on Sunday afternoon, followed by a floodlit session on Monday.
Hazlewood’s comeback likely by back end of Ashes
Pacer Josh Hazlewood, who suffered a hamstring strain during a Sheffield Shield fixture for NSW one week before the Ashes began, is aiming to be available for the ‘back end’ of the Ashes. Hazlewood, who has also been sidelined for the first two Tests, on Friday joined Cummins in the nets.
“It’s coming along slowly. I’ll have another bowl today; I just started the other day. Running and everything’s going well,” Hazlewood said at the SCG on Friday.
“It’s probably tough to put a timeline on it. I think ‘Ron’ (Australian coach Andrew McDonald) probably nailed it the other day — play a part in the back end, hopefully. Hopefully it’s not still in the balance; hopefully we’re on top by then,” he added.
Australia squad for second Test: Steve Smith (c), 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.