The Ashes 2025-26: Australia has named its squad, delivering the verdict on Pat Cummins’ return

Australia has confirmed its squad for the second Test next week in Brisbane, delivering the verdict on the fitness of captain Pat Cummins.

England can breathe a small sigh of relief after Pat Cummins was left out of the Australian squad for the second Test in Brisbane.

Cummins bowled in the nets with a pink ball earlier this week in an indication he could play in the day-night match at the Gabba but the Aussie squad announced on Friday remains unchanged.

The star skipper will travel with the side as he ramps up his push for the Adelaide Oval Test and the back end of the series.

Cummins was last week hopeful of returning in time for the second Test, starting next Thursday.

“(The back is) feeling good,” Cummins told Fox Cricket during the first Test.

“I had a couple of good sessions in Perth this week, so having a big day where I’d bowl around 10 overs then a couple of quieter days and then going again.

“It’s on track and pulling up pretty well, (I am) half a chance for the next game.”

Pat Cummins looked near his best with the pink ball earlier this week. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

There was speculation Josh Hazlewood would miss the entire Ashes through his hamstring injury and the unchanged squad means he will miss at least one more Test.

But Australian coach Andrew McDonald was quick to shut down that speculation after the first Test.

“I don’t know where that speculation began, but he’s working through the first week of his rehab,” McDonald said.

“Once he gets further down the track and we start to have some rough timelines, then we’ll be in a position to communicate that.

“I know that he’ll be available at some point during the series and once again we’re not going to put our medical team into a scenario where we identify a game.

“We’ve got a little bit of that early rehab to go through to formulate where he might plug into the series, but we expect him to take some part in the series.”

The Squad

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

Originally published as The Ashes 2025-26: Australia has named its squad, delivering the verdict on Pat Cummins’ return