Follow UsFull-time Australia Test skipper Pat Cummins continued to miss the Ashes action as the second Test begins in Brisbane. Being a pink ball Test where the different ball doesn't do much for the spinners, Australia have dropped Nathan Lyon as well for the game and brought in Michael Neser in a bid to give themselves the best chance to pick 20 wickets in the game.
However, England went in with a different strategy, bringing in Will Jacks, who's a batting all-rounder with handy spin bowling abilities. They had already announced their playing XI earlier, following a pattern that they have set for themselves under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.
As for the toss, it fell in favour of skipper Stokes as England decided to bat first and ensure that the series score line doesn't worsen for them. They lost the first Test, which was fought closely for the first three innings, but completely went Australia’s way when Travis Head smashed English bowlers into oblivion through his blitzkrieg of a ton. The match ended in two days.
Skipper Steve Smith also wished to bat first. Interestingly, Travis Head told Fox sometime before the toss that he had already been preparing to open the innings since the last Test and is ready to do that role in Usman Khawaja’s absence. Although it does seem like the team wants Head at the top in the longer format too.
Playing XIs
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Will Jacks (In for Mark Wood), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.
Australia: Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (C), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis (In for Usman Khawaja), Alex Carey (WK), Michael Neser (In for Nathan Lyon), Mitchell Starc, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland.
What Did Skippers Say
Ben Stokes: You look at how things play out with the different conditions you give yourself a better chance to know that you are going to bat in the sort of easier conditions. We've had come extra time to build up to this game and the lads are raring to go. I'm not too sure how the wicket is going to play. We've got an opportunity to put runs on the board. Certainly the biggest week of my captaincy up until now but we've had a good week and we're raring to go.
Steven Smith: I would have batted. It does give you a chance to manipulate the game if you can bat well. But hopefully we can bowl well this afternoon and do that anyway. Pat was close. He's done everything right. We thought it might have been a little bit risky for this game but he's tracking well for the next one. Josh Inglis will bat middle order. Head will open. Michael Neser is in for Nathan Lyon. Pink ball, we think it's going to offer quite a bit, particularly later on under lights with no daylight savings here we play in the night a lot and thought that was going to be the best attack to take 20 wickets in this fixture.