Pat Cummins Up For Gabba Test As Australia Coach Updates Injuries

Australia coach Andrew McDonald provided updates on injured bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood ahead of the second Ashes Test.

Australia will delay their decision on captain Pat Cummins’ availability for the second Ashes Test until the eve of the Gabba match. Coach Andrew McDonald remains hopeful the star fast bowler will recover from his lumbar back stress injury in time for the Brisbane day-night Test starting December 4.

Cummins missed the first Ashes Test in Perth but traveled with the squad and bowled near full intensity in the nets. McDonald described his progress as “nearing the completion of his rehabilitation,” though the two-day Perth victory disrupted his planned recovery schedule.

Injury Updates and Bowling Plans

“He was meant to bowl on day four of the game, so that hasn’t eventuated the way that we would have would have liked for Patty,” McDonald told reporters. “He’s just slid that bowling date back with the travel in between … it has slid from a Monday bowl to a Tuesday bowl.”

McDonald confirmed Cummins’ fitness would be assessed closely before the Gabba Test. “Once we see him there again, we’ll be able to then join the dots as to what that potentially looks like. It will be a genuine discussion leading into this Test match.”

The coach also dismissed speculation about Josh Hazlewood’s series availability after his hamstring injury. “I don’t think he’s out for the whole series. He’s working through first week of his rehab … He’ll be available at some point in the series,” McDonald said.

McDonald analyzed Scott Boland’s contrasting performances across the two innings in Perth. While expensive in the first innings following team plans to “get it full,” Boland rebounded strongly in the second innings with 3-3 in a match-turning spell.

The coach also noted England’s pace attack showed significantly reduced speeds on day two, with Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson bowling below 120kph in their second spells. This raises selection questions for England ahead of the Gabba, where they’ve won only four times in 22 attempts.

Australia also faces selection considerations regarding Nathan Lyon’s role in the day-night Test, though McDonald emphasized the importance of assessing conditions rather than presuming bowler-dominated patterns. Lyon has taken 52 Test wickets at the Gabba, his second-most productive Australian venue.