Australia vs England 2nd Ashes Test: Australian opener Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba (Brisbane) because of back spasms. He had attempted a light nets session but was visibly in discomfort, thus the selectors have left his spot vacant for now.
Thus, the opening pair for Australia are likely to be Travis Head and Jake Weatherald, who opened when Khawaja wasn’t available in Perth.
Australia vs England 2nd Ashes Test: Who Will Open for Australia?
Khawaja’s unavailability places pressure on Australia’s top order, which is left with a delicate decision. Head would seem the front-runner to continue as an emergency opener after starring with a century in the Perth run chase.
Other candidates like Josh Inglis or Beau Webster remain options, especially if selectors want to rebuild the batting order or add balance. For now, Australia haven’t officially named a replacement in the squad.
Australia vs England 2nd Ashes Test: Will Jacks Return for England
The only change to the XI from England is the inclusion of spin bowling all-rounder Will Jacks in place of the injured fast bowler Mark Wood. Jacks was picked as part of the XI despite a host of seamers being available, indicating England’s need for balance and batting depth in what are always challenging day-night conditions at the Gabba.
Jacks, who last played Test cricket in 2022 when he picked up a five-wicket haul on debut in Pakistan, now returns, for just his third Test, in a move that suggests England are prioritising spin variation and lower-order resilience over pure pace.
Australia vs England 2nd Ashes Test: England’s Change in Strategy
England have moved away from the all-pace attack used in the first Test by bringing in Jacks. The switch seems to be prompted by the pink-ball, day-night format at the Gabba, where slower bowlers – and batting depth – can be critical. Jacks offers both an additional spinning option and a middle-order bat.
Australia vs England 2nd Ashes Test: England Playing XI
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer
This XI balances experience and youth, with Root, Stokes, and Pope anchoring batting, while the bowling attack features a mix of pace and spin, including Jacks’ all-round capabilities.
