Three players from the Ashes squad who did not play in the first Test – Jacob Bethell, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue – have been included in the Canberra match.
Part of England’s reasoning behind not sending a first Test XI to the capital is the difference in conditions between Canberra and Brisbane.
In contrast to the pace and bounce of the Gabba, the pitch at Manuka Oval is likely to be slow and low. On Thursday, the day after England arrived in Brisbane, temperatures in the city were expected to reach 36C, compared to 24 in Canberra.
Having trailed 1-0, England certainly need to avoid defeat in Brisbane to remain hopeful of winning the Ashes for the first time since 2015. They have not won a Test at the Gabba since 1986.
Australia’s only defeat in a day-night Test – a stunning eight-run win over the West Indies – came in Brisbane in January 2024.
The home side is expected to confirm its squad for the second Test before the weekend.
Captain Pat Cummins could make a comeback after missing the first Test to recover from a back injury. He is bowling with the pink ball in Sydney.
Fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has also been bowling in training but is not expected to return to Brisbane.
If Cummins returns, he will take over the captaincy from Steve Smith and give the hosts a pace attack option in place of off-spinner Nathan Lyon. If Lyon is retained, it will be decided between Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett.
Australia will also have to recall Usman Khawaja, who suffered back spasms in Perth and was unable to bat. Travis Head replaced Khawaja in the second innings and smashed one of the greatest Ashes centuries of all time to lead Australia to victory.
If Khawaja is left out, it will open the door for Josh Inglis, who was the reserve batsman in the team for the first Test and scored a century for Cricket Australia XI against England Lions on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Perth pitch on which the first Test was played has been rated “very good” by the International Cricket Council.
A very good pitch is defined as “one with good carry at the start of the match, limited seam movement and consistent bounce, allowing a balanced competition between batsmen and bowlers”.
The Perth Test was the first two-day Ashes match in 104 years.
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