Series Status: Australia leads 1-0 (won 1st Test by 8 wickets)
Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (Day-Night)
The Ashes series moves to Brisbane for the crucial Day-Night (Pink Ball) Second Test, following a stunningly fast First Test in Perth where Australia defeated England by eight wickets in just two days. The result has intensified the pressure on England, while Australia faces key injury questions heading into the Gabba fixture.
Cummins Ruled Out, Smith Retains Captaincy
Australia’s preparations have been dominated by the fitness of captain Pat Cummins. The fast bowler has been officially ruled out of the Second Test as he continues his recovery from a lumbar back stress injury that also sidelined him for the series opener.
- Captaincy: Steve Smith will once again lead the Australian side.
- Squad: Australia has named an unchanged 14-man squad, also confirming that fast bowler Josh Hazlewood (hamstring) remains unavailable.
- Debutants’ Status: Debutant pace bowler Brendan Doggett, who performed well in Perth, is expected to retain his spot in the playing XI alongside Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.
Batting Order Shuffle Looms
The Australian batting line-up is also a topic of intense discussion. Opener Usman Khawaja has been named in the squad despite suffering back spasms during the Perth Test, which prevented him from batting in the second innings. Filling in for Khawaja, Travis Head blazed an extraordinary 69-ball century—the second-fastest in Ashes history—to guide Australia to victory. There are growing calls for Head’s promotion to the top of the order to be made permanent, forcing selectors to make a difficult decision on the final batting combination.
England Under Siege After Historic Collapse
For England, the focus is purely on damage control after the Perth defeat, which was the first Ashes Test to conclude inside two days since 1921.
- The Problem: Despite captain Ben Stokes delivering a heroic 5/23 in Australia’s first innings, England’s batting collapsed dramatically in the second innings, losing four wickets for just 11 runs at one point.
- Response: The tourists have acknowledged the need to adapt and are focusing their training on the unique demands of the day-night format, including holding extra sessions under lights at the Gabba.
- Key Performers: England will look to Joe Root and Harry Brook, who both showed glimpses of form in the first Test, to provide the backbone the team desperately needs.
First Test in Review: A Starc Masterclass
The first Test was defined by pace bowling brilliance. Australia’s Mitchell Starc was the standout, claiming a spectacular 10-wicket match haul (including 7/58 in the first innings), marking the first 10-fer by an Australian fast bowler in the Ashes in 34 years.
Ultimately, Australia chased down the target of 205 runs with ease, thanks primarily to Head’s explosive ‘Travball’ innings, leaving England shell-shocked and the series score 1-0.
