AUS vs ENG: Josh Hazlewood set to return in Australia playing XI for the Ashes 2nd Test? Here's the update

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been officially ruled out of the second Test against England in Brisbane, delivering a setback to Australia’s pace attack. Despite this, team management remains optimistic about his prospects for the remainder of the Ashes series. Hazlewood, who missed the opening Test in Perth, has been recovering from a hamstring issue he picked up during a recent Sheffield Shield fixture. Although early scans suggested the injury was not severe, the medical staff felt he was not yet ready to withstand the demands of Test cricket. As a result, he will continue to focus on regaining fitness rather than rushing back prematurely.

AUS vs ENG: Josh Hazlewood to be included in Australia playing XI for the Ashes 2nd Test?

Hazlewood is expected to join the team in Brisbane, where he will undergo further rehabilitation and strength work under the supervision of the support staff. Head coach Andrew McDonald expressed confidence that the seasoned quick will return later in the series, highlighting his experience and value in Australian conditions. In more positive news for Australia, Pat Cummins is inching closer to a comeback and could potentially rejoin the playing XI as early as next week at the Gabba. His return would be a major boost, especially with the Ashes momentum building and England posing a growing challenge.

"He's working through the first week of his rehab. I'm not sure that we need to give an update on that. Once he gets further down the track and [we] 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. We've got a little bit of that early rehab to go through to formulate where he may plug into the series, but we expect him to take some part in the series,” said Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald. 

The swift, two-day finish of the Australia vs England opening Test has led to a minor modification in Pat Cummins’ planned bowling workload, despite the fact that he had looked sharp during training in the days leading up to the match. Initially, the team management had scheduled a bowling session for him on what would have been the fourth day of the Test, Monday, as part of his gradual return to full fitness. However, with the match ending far earlier than expected and Cummins travelling back to Sydney shortly afterward, that session has now been pushed back by a day. The adjustment is not considered a setback but rather a practical shift to align with his travel and recovery routine. Australia remain hopeful that the slight delay will not affect his timeline, and he is still on track to make a potential return as the Ashes series progresses.

Despite the slight shift in his preparation schedule, the outlook for Australia’s captain continues to be encouraging. Pat Cummins has shown steady progress in his recovery, and team management is satisfied with how he is responding to his workload. Even so, head coach Andrew McDonald cautioned that a final call on the New South Wales pacer’s inclusion for the AUS vs ENG day-night Test in Brisbane might not be made until very close to the match. The staff want to ensure he is completely ready before placing him back into the intensity of an Ashes contest, especially given the importance of his role as both captain and strike bowler.

If Cummins is declared fit and the second Test runs its full course over five days, something that feels uncertain given how rapidly the opening Test ended in Perth, Australia would still benefit from an eight-day rest period before heading into the third Test in Adelaide. That buffer would allow Cummins additional recovery time and help him ease back into the rhythm of the series. For now, his participation remains a possibility, with the final decision hinging on how he responds to the upcoming training sessions and increased bowling workloads. The Ashes second Test is scheduled to start on December 4 at the Gabba in Brisbane, where it will be contested as a pink-ball encounter.

"Once we see him again we'll be able to then join the dots as to what that potentially looks like. But for those who saw him in Perth, I did say this a while back that he'll be up and bowling...and people will be sitting there questioning why he's not playing,” Aussie head coach added. 

Australia playing XI

Usman Khawaja
Jake Weatherald
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith (C)
Travis Head
Cameron Green
Alex Carey
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Scott Boland
Josh Hazlewood