Ashes 2025/26: Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood ruled out of second Test

Overview

• Australia is set to go with an unchanged squad for the pink ball D/N Test against England in Brisbane in the Ashes 2025/26
• Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will continue not to play, as they are ruled out of the Brisbane Test
• While the experienced players hit the nets session, they will not play the upcoming match against England

Australia is set to go with an unchanged squad for the pink ball D/N Test against England in Brisbane in the Ashes 2025/26. Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will continue not to play, as they are ruled out of the Brisbane Test. While the experienced players hit the nets session, they will not play the upcoming match against England.

Cummins last played in the WTC Final 2025 and hasn't featured in a match since then. The Australian skipper has been absent from the team in all of their series, which hasn't been ideal for the 2023 WTC Mace winners. Additionally, they also missed the services of Hazlewood lately.

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The right-arm pacer played the limited-overs series against South Africa and India recently. However, due to a last-minute injury, he was ruled out of the Perth Test in the Ashes 2025/26. As he is yet to be match fit, the veteran is also set to miss the upcoming Test along with his skipper.

How Australia fared in the Perth Test in Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood's absence?

Given their absence, many felt England would be the favorites to win in Perth. What turned out was opposite, as Australia won easily even without them. Mitchell Starc stepped up in the absence of two experienced bowlers. In the first innings, he claimed a 7-fer and followed it up with a 3-fer in the second innings.

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While Starc bowled one of the best spells of his career, Scott Boland and Brendan Dogget stepped up in the second innings. While Cummins and Hazlewood's absence was indeed felt, Australia managed to win the Perth Test and claim a lead of 1-0 ahwad of the pink ball D/N Test in Brisbane.