Australia leave door open for Cummins return

With the exception of Pat Cummins, Australia has left the name of their team open for a surprise return against England.

Cummins, a pace bowler, had a back injury that had prevented him from playing since July, making his debut Test debut.

The 32-year-old was not included in the squad for the day-night Test in Brisbane starting on Thursday, but he did do so in Perth during the first Test and once more in his hometown of Sydney following Australia’s victory.

At the captain’s pre-game press conference on Wednesday, Steve Smith, the team’s captain, announced their team names later that day.

On the Gabba square, Cummins, Smith, head coach Andrew McDonald, and selector George Bailey met, and McDonald welcomed him.

It was confirmed that the Australian team wouldn’t name their team until the toss on Thursday following the team’s break from the ground.

There are “a whole heap of things on the table,” Smith said earlier in the day.

He said, “We’ll wait and see what the wicket looks like later, and then we’ll decide a playing XI.”

He appears to me to be bowling in the nets, which is admirable. He’s tracking well and has a good sense of his body, though obviously games have different intensity.

He has been bowling for a while, improving, and upping his stature. He is feeling well. Since facing him, he bowls nicely in the nets.

If Australia chooses to skip the frontline spinner, then pace bowler Brendan Doggett, who made his Test debut in Perth, or Nathan Lyon.

England captain Ben Stokes responded to a question about Australia’s decision to ignore their team by saying, “We’ll just have to wait and see what XI they choose.”

“Pat is fantastic. He has been doing so for a very long time. Since taking the position of captain for Australia, he has accomplished great things both as a player and as a person.

After opener Usman Khawaja’s back spasms prevented him from resuming his Test debut, at least one member of the Australian team will be changed.

Josh Inglis, a batter from Leeds and a member of the Australia slip cordon, is the most likely starter.

The order will continue to be led by Travis Head, who won a match-winning century in Perth after being promoted to open in place of Khawaja.

Inglis made his Test debut against Sri Lanka this year with a century and moved to Australia when he was 14 years old.

The 30-year-old, who has three Test caps, scored a century against the England Lions in the first Test over the weekend.

He “is a pretty attacking batsman,” Smith remarked. On his Sri Lanka debut, he did a fantastic job. He has been playing fast bowl well and has been in excellent form. He’ll do really well, I’m confident of it.

With a chance to advance one step closer to retaining the Ashes, the return of Cummins, one of the best fast bowlers in the world, would be a huge boost for an Australia team that is currently 1-0 up.

In floodlit Tests, Mitchell Starc is the only player to surpass Cummins in wickets taken. When using a pink ball to bowl with, Cummins has a higher average, strike, and economy rate than a red.

Cummins will also improve Australia’s long-tail-equipped starting lineup in Perth by starting him at No. 8.

England announced their team on Tuesday, making their debut after winning neither Test in Australia or a match since 1986.

Will Jacks, an injured pace bowler who replaced Mark Wood as spin-bowling all-rounder, will play his first Test in three years.

Because of the runs he could provide at number eight, England decided that a spin option was necessary. Jacks was chosen ahead of Shoaib Bashir, who had first-choice spinner.

There was a bit of a tactical element to spin, Stokes said, and we tried to examine how we thought spin would be used.

Jacksy’s ability to play that down the order for us is also beneficial.