Spinning all-rounder Will Jacks will replace the injured Mark Woods in England’s one change for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.
England confirmed its full side on Tuesday, with Jacks coming in for pace bowler Wood (knee) in the lineup.
It means there’s no place once again for Shoaib Bashir, the specialist spinner in the touring squad.
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Jacks comes in with two previous Test matches for England to his name including a maiden five-wicket haul on debut against Pakistan in 2022.
Australia later confirmed Usman Khawaja had been ruled out of the Gabba match due to a back complaint. While no replacement has been named for Khawaja yet, Josh Inglis and Beau Webster are in line to come in for the hosts.
The second Test kicks off at the Gabba this Thursday.
England XI
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Ben Stokes (c)
7. Jamie Smith (wk)
8. Will Jacks
9. Gus Atkinson
10. Brydon Carse
11. Jofra Archer
Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
LABUSCHAGNE THROWS SUPPORT BEHIND KHAWAJA
Marnus Labuschagne has thrown his support behind under-siege opener Usman Khawaja, declaring “I don’t think he needs advice” as the 38-year-old fights for his Test career.
Hampered by a back injury, Khawaja was unable to open the batting in Perth with Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head replacing him at the top of the order.
Head struck a match-winning century in the second innings as Australia romped to an eight-wicket victory. It prompted calls for Head to remain at the opener throwing Khawaja’s playing future in doubt.
Khawaja could still retain his spot if he’s passed fit for the second Test starting on Thursday.
According to Code Sports he spent around an hour in the nets on Monday, facing throw downs from assistant coach Michael Di Venuto which included a barrage of short balls.
Khawaja was reportedly moving better than he did during the Perth Test, but did show signs of pain when playing certain attacking shots.
During the session, Khawaja also reportedly shot a thumbs up at physiotherapist Nick Jones — but the final call will be made during Tuesday night’s training.
Usman Khawaja’s net session on Monday.Source: News Corp Australia
Regardless of his fitness, Labuschagne spoke glowingly of his teammate.
“I don’t think he needs advice. He’s 38, he’s been around the block a long time … he is an amazing player,” he said to reporters on Monday.
“He’s gone from No.3 to No.4 to opening (in his career), the way he’s done that, navigated some tricky scenarios, the way he batted at Edgbaston, he’s just been awesome.
“I don’t have any advice for him on it because from first class this year he’s batted beautifully, the way he’s been batting is awesome.”
Labuschagne was also certain that he and superstar Steve Smith won’t find themselves at the top of the order again.
“I think we can pretty much be assured that Steve and I won’t open,” he said.
“Where you bat in the order just pushes back the time you come to the crease and I think that’s why there is a batting order because certain times suit certain players and the way they play.
“But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter where you bat, we’ve got to find a way to score runs and whatever happens or whatever order you go with, it’s just about whatever is best for this game and how do we win this game and what’s the best team to do that.”
‘Whatever it takes to win a Test Match’ | 12:13
LEGEND’S MESSAGE TO POMS
Geoffrey Boycott has urged England to “use their brains” as Ben Stokes’s men go in search of an Ashes series-levelling win in this week’s second Test in Brisbane.
England fell 1-0 down in the five-match series following a humiliating eight-wicket loss to Australia inside two days in last month’s first Test in Perth.
Batting collapses cost England dear as the tourists lost five wickets for 12 runs in their first innings and four for 11 in their second.
Former England opener Boycott insisted Stokes’s men could win at Brisbane’s Gabba ground with a more measured approach.
“But it doesn’t help our chances of success if Ben Stokes keeps encouraging our batsmen to attack, attack with one fingerhovering over the self-destruct button,” Boycott wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
“Nobody is asking the players to stop being positive because they have given us some marvellous, thrilling and entertaining cricket. All we ask is for them to use their brains and realise there are times when they should throttle back and be aware of situations and bat accordingly.”
Ben Stokes is seen during an England nets session.Source: Getty Images
Boycott, 85, an Ashes winner in both England and Australia, also addressed Stokes’s apology for a “slip of the tongue” after the all-rounder responded to criticism from former players of the team’s limited pre-series preparations by referring to “has-beens”.
“To call past players ‘has-beens’ was disrespectful especially as some of those ‘has-beens’ played in teams that won the Ashes in England and Australia,” said Boycott.
“I am glad Ben has half apologised, saying it was a slip of the tongue, because none of this team have won the Ashes in Australia. Get the job done, because then you don’t need to say anything and you can bask in all the glory coming your way.”
The second Test, a day/night match, starts on Thursday with England looking for a first win in 17 Tests in Australia, a run stretching back to their triumphant 2010/11 tour.
