After the Australian cricket team delayed announcing its final eleven for the pink-ball Test at the Gabba, expectations have run high regarding the possible return of Pat Cummins to the Australian team. The captain was also seen in a practice session with Mitchell Starc.
The Australian captain’s return is on the verge, but Steve Smith is still acting as the stand-in captain as he took part in the pre-match conference. Talking about the pitch, Smith said that from a distance it looks green, but due to the dry weather it may look different.
“It’s still pretty grassy, a little soft,” Smith said. “It will obviously ripen under the sun again today, and I think [the curator] “It’s being tweaked a bit, so it may look a little different every few hours.”
Pat Cummins may return for second Ashes Test at Gabba
Pat Cummins has a chance to be back in the Australian playing XI for the second Test at the Gabba, with a final decision to be taken by the selectors and team management on Wednesday.
His inclusion would be a big surprise after his name was not included in the 14-man squad announced for the second Test.
“I really like the way he bowls in the nets,” Smith said. “Obviously, the intensity of the games is different, but he’s tracking really well. He knows his body well, and yes, we’ll wait and see,” he said.
If Pat Cummins does not replace Nathan Lyon, he is most likely to replace debutant Brendan Doggett, who supported Australia by taking 5 wickets in Perth. However, since Pat Cummins has been out of action for more than 4 months, his bowling load is likely to be lower than usual.
Usman Khawaja will be replaced; Steve Smith failed to give an update
Australia may consider replacing injured opener Usman Khawaja after his injury during the Perth Test. Josh Inglis appears to be the best batsman at present after his recent Sheffield Shield century. He has been asked to be included in the middle order, with Travis Head likely to be promoted to the top.
All-rounder Beau Webster also remains in the mix and may be taking some time to make decisions as a result of which the Australian team has not announced its XI.
“A I think a lot of things are on the table,” Smith said. “We will wait and see how the wicket looks, and from there we will determine the playing XI.”
“I’m not sure,” Steve Smith said on Nathan Lyon’s availability for the pink-ball Test.
There is a strong possibility that if Pat Cummins is considered for a return to the Australian playing XI at the Gabba, their only spinner Nathan Lyon could be rested for the game. Lyon was left out of Australia’s recent day-night Test in Jamaica.
He had bowled just one over with the pink ball during the last such Test against India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year. In 2022, he did not bowl a single ball in the Ashes pink-ball Test in Hobart and did not bowl much during the first Test in Perth.
“I’m not sure,” Smith said. “We’ll look at the surface, as I said, and we’ll summarize things from there. And I think here’s one place where Nathan has done really well in the past. He’s a quality bowler. But we’ll consider the options, and we’ll see how we go.”
Also read: Not Cameron Green! Ravichandran Ashwin names the surprising player getting most interest from IPL teams