Preview & Full Details: Australia vs England, 2nd Ashes Test
The dust has settled on the first Ashes Test, but the noise hasn’t stopped. England and Australia will meet again after a 12-day gap, this time at the iconic Gabba for a day-night Test. The second match of the Ashes 2025-26 series comes with both sides under pressure, but for very different reasons.
Australia will come with momentum. They crushed England inside two days in Perth, helped by England’s collapse and Travis Head’s Bazball-like batting approach in the second innings. England will walk into Brisbane needing answers. They lost the match by 8 wickets despite leading by more than 100 runs with 9 wickets in hand on Day 2. But don’t expect them to abandon their ‘questionable’ aggressive batting approach.
Australia will feel more than comfortable under the lights. They have won 12 of their 13 pink-ball Tests in Australia. They have also picked up 4 consecutive wins in their last 5 Tests. England have won only once in their last 5 and remain winless in their last 16 Tests in Australia. The recent head-to-head contests look balanced, but the Gabba’s conditions tilt the odds back toward the hosts.
Australia Team News
Australia may receive a major boost with Pat Cummins in contention for a comeback. Selectors will make the final call after another look at the pitch. Stand-in captain Steven Smith kept the XI open at his press conference, not ruling out Cummins or the possibility of dropping Nathan Lyon again in a day-night Test. If that does happen, Australia will be without a regular spinner.
Australia will also replace Usman Khawaja, who is out with a back injury. Josh Inglis is the leading option to join the middle order, which will allow Travis Head to open with Australia’s newest member, Jake Weatherald. Khawaja, who turns 39 this month, now faces questions over his international future.
Australia could field yet another new opener after Khawaja’s injury forced Marnus Labuschagne, then Head, to step up in Perth. Jake Weatherald also remains an option.
Mitchell Starc will lead the attack again whether Cummins plays or not. He took 10 wickets in the first Ashes Test at Perth. He also enters this Test with 43 wickets in his last 10 matches and a remarkable day-night record of 81 wickets in 14 pink-ball Tests, the most by any bowler.
The next best is Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon with 43 each.
Australia squad for the 2nd Ashes Test:
Steve Smith (c), 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
Probable XI:
Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Nathan Lyon/Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett
England Team News
England have already announced a significant change. Mark Wood is out with knee soreness after a wicketless outing in Perth. His absence removes England’s fastest bowler from the attack. Instead of replacing him with another seamer or Shoaib Bashir, England have gone with Will Jacks, a move that adds batting depth and a second spin option.
England’s seam attack will now rely on Ben Stokes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Jofra Archer. The challenge will be surviving under the pink ball, especially against Starc. England’s entire squad combined have 24 pink-ball wickets; Starc alone has 81.
Harry Brook carries England’s best form. He has 941 runs at 55.35 from his last 10 matches and was the only batter with a half-century in the first three innings in Perth. Joe Root still seeks his first Ashes hundred in Australia, while Zak Crawley looks for his first run of the series.
England have lost 5 of their 7 day-night Tests but did win their last one against New Zealand in 2023.
England squad:
Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood
England XI:
Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer
Ashes 2025-26 Schedule
1st Test: Australia won by 8 wickets
2nd Test: Dec 4-8, The Gabba (D/N)
3rd Test: Dec 17-21, Adelaide Oval
4th Test: Dec 26-30, MCG
5th Test: Jan 4-8, SCG