Australia have left the door open for captain Pat Cummins to make a surprise return to their side for the second Test against England at the Gabba, which starts tomorrow.
The home side, who are 1-0 up in the series after their two-day victory in Perth last month, convened a leadership meeting after training on Wednesday on the square, with head coach Andrew McDonald, stand-in captain Steve Smith, chief selector George Bailey and Cummins inspecting the pitch. It concluded with Cummins embracing McDonald.
Cricket Australia subsequently confirmed they will only officially confirm their lineup at the toss in Brisbane. Cummins, 32, has not played since July after returning from the tour of the West Indies with a stress fracture in his back.
Speaking earlier in the day, Smith told a press conference that there were “a whole heap of things are on the table”. “We’ll wait and see what the wicket looks like later and from there we’ll determine a playing XI,” he said. “(Cummins) looks pretty good to me; he’s bowled in the nets. Obviously games are different intensity, but he’s tracking nicely and he knows his body well.
“He’s been bowling for a few weeks and pulling up well, and ramping his numbers up. He’s feeling good. He’s bowling nicely in the nets, having faced him.”
Pat Cummins (crouching, left) joins George Bailey, Steve Smith and Andrew McDonald to inspect the strip at the Gabba (Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Cummins’ inclusion would be a surprise given he was not named in Australia’s 14-man squad for the Gabba when it was announced last Friday. However, he was never officially ruled out, either, having stepped up his preparations in the nets in Perth, Sydney and, most recently, Brisbane as part of his recovery from his lower back issue.
If deemed fit enough to feature, he could replace either Brendan Doggett, who took five wickets on Test debut at Perth Stadium, or Australia’s specialist spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon was omitted for Australia’s most recent day-night Test in Jamaica in July, when the West Indies were dismissed for 27 in their second innings, and only bowled one over in last year’s pink-ball Test in Adelaide against India. He bowled only two overs against England in Perth.
“We’ll look at the surface, as I said, and we’ll sum things up from there,” added Smith. “And I think here’s a place where Nathan’s done really well in the past. He’s a quality bowler. But we’ll weigh up the options and we’ll see how we go.”
Josh Inglis is expected to be drafted in as a replacement for the injured Usman Khawaja and will bolster the middle order, with Travis Head opening the batting after his match-winning century in Perth.
Asked about the possibility of Cummins returning to captain Australia, his England counterpart Ben Stokes told reporters: “Pat’s awesome, and has been for a very very long time. He’s done great things, not only as a player but he’s been great since he’s been given the responsibility of being captain for Australia.
“Whatever XI they go with — if Pat’s there, if Pat’s not — we’ll still be going in there to try and get the win.”
England have included Will Jacks in their side for the injured Mark Wood as their only change from Perth.