Australia keep the second Ashes Test bubbling with uncertainty as stand-in captain Steve Smith refused to rule out Pat Cummins’ sensational return to the Gabba. Despite not being named in the 14-man squad for the pink-ball Test, Cummins’ energetic spells in the nets and lengthy batting have sparked fresh speculation that the skipper could yet feature in Brisbane.
Cummins missed the series opener in Perth while recovering from a back injury, but has since rejoined the team. His absence from the initial team announcement suggested Australia would want to take a cautious approach, but Smith’s comments opened the door for a potential late inclusion.
“He looked pretty good to me throwing in the nets,” Smith said. “Obviously the games have different intensity, but he tracks really nicely; he knows his body well, but we’ll wait and see. He’s close, the last bit he did everything really well.”
While Cummins’ recovery dominated the build-up, Smith kept the intrigue alive in the pre-match press conference. He confirmed that Cummins would return as captain if declared fit – but refused to provide any clarity on Australia’s playing XI.
“There’s a whole bunch of things on the table that I can’t give you much right now, I’m sorry,” Smith said. “He looks pretty good to me, he knows his body well and we’ll wait and see.
The build-up to the Gabba Test was also punctuated by the batting order debate sparked by Cummins, Andrew McDonald and Travis Head – the latter famously calling the batting positions “overrated” after his successful campaign at the top during the Perth chase. Smith offered a more measured view, acknowledging the peculiarities of day and night cricket while defending the structure.
“Pink ball, anything is possible,” he said. “We’ve been pretty open in the past when we’ve had two night guards and things like that. It’s a whole different game you have to play what’s in front of you.”
“But I’m not sure I completely agree that batting orders are overrated. It’s nice to be in a similar role and get used to that role over and over again. It can change in games and maybe that’s the way forward, but I’m not sure I have certain spots for one innings and other spots for another innings. It’s nice to have one role and try to get used to it as much as possible.”
Smith also confirmed an unusual personal adjustment for the pink ball contest: he will take to the black-striped field to combat the glare under the lights. The inspiration came straight from the cricket icon – and the guidance was blunt.
“I actually messaged Shivnarine Chanderpaul and asked him what he thought if he wore chalk or stripes,” Smith revealed. “He said the strips and he thinks it blocks 65 percent of the glare. He also said, ‘I’ve seen the pictures and you’re wearing them wrong’. So I put them on the right way yesterday, I think it will definitely stop the glare. Yeah, I’ll be wearing them.”
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
December 3, 2025
