The opportunity that England squandered in Perth appears to have presented itself once more, after Australia opted to play it safe with Pat Cummins and name an unchanged squad for next week’s day-night second Test at the Gabba.
Beyond their match-defining collapse on the second afternoon, one of the most galling aspects of England’s eight-wicket defeat in the first Test was the fact that Cummins and Josh Hazlewood – two members of Australia’s fabled fast bowling group – were missing. But the situation officially remains unchanged as Ben Stokes and his tourists look to level the five-match series starting in Brisbane on 4 December. Hazlewood is still absent with a hamstring injury, while Cummins has been held back despite a recent return to training that has included bowling with the pink Kookaburra ball.
Cricket Australia offered no specifics regarding this delay for Cummins other than to say Australia’s Test captain will still travel with the squad. Local reports have since suggested the 32-year-old, recovering from a lower-back stress injury picked up in July, could yet force a late rethink.
Had Australia lost in Perth, as was a distinct possibility before England’s second innings imploded, the need for Cummins to rush back for the Gabba would have been far greater. As it stands, Steve Smith will once again captain a side that can get within touching distance of retaining the urn with a second successive win.
Unchanged though the 14-man squad is, Australia still have decisions to make regarding the final XI. Back spasms made Usman Khawaja a passenger in Perth and, with Travis Head ransacking a match-sealing 69-ball century as a makeshift opener, there are growing calls for the promotion to be made permanent.
Second Ashes Test, the Gabba, Brisbane, starts Thursday 4 December, 2pm AEST, 4pm GMT
Australia squad: 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.
Head continuing at the top – a role he already performs in one-day international cricket – would then open up a middle-order berth for either the in-form Josh Inglis or a second all-rounder in Beau Webster. If so, then Khawaja, 38, whose numbers have dropped this past year, could be heading towards international retirement.
Khawaja revealed at a charity event on Friday that had Head not wiped off the 204-run target on the second evening of the match, he would have undergone an epidural the following day in order to be available to bat.
The opener has also raised eyebrows as regards his view of the pitch at Perth Stadium, disagreeing with the official rating of “very good” handed down by the International Cricket Council’s match referee, Ranjan Madugalle. According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Khawaja said: “[There were] 19 wickets on the first day, about 20 people got hit – that’s a great wicket, that seems real fair?
“The same thing happened last year, that day one wicket …
Steve Smith is by far the best cricketer I’ve played with. He’s missing the middle of his bat by a long way, and he does not miss the middle of the bat. You can’t really predict up and down [bounce]; your hands can’t catch up.
“[The] day-one wicket is a piece of shit, I’m happy to say that. They do get better day two, day three, but day four they start to crack up again. We know day two and day three is usually the best time to bat, that’s why whenever we play at Perth and we win the toss we bat first hoping that we can bat again maybe end of day two into day three.”
As regards Hazlewood, the 34-year-old was seen training with Cummins in Sydney on Friday morning but was operating from a reduced run-up and reportedly still well short of bowling at full pace.
