After a long break following the two-day Perth Test, the Ashes 2025-26 Test series resumed on Thursday at the Gabba, Brisbane, with the second Test of the series. This is a day-night Test played with the pink ball.
England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first. Both sides made interesting changes to their playing XIs.
Australia replaced the injured Usman Khawaja with Josh Inglis; Steve Smith confirmed that Travis Head will continue to open and Inglis will slot in the middle order.
The more shocking change was the exclusion of off-spinner Nathan Lyon, replaced by pacer Michael Neser: Smith attributed this change to the contest being a pink ball Test. This is only the second time in his career that Lyon is missing a home Test match, the last instance coming in 2012 against India in Perth.
England rested Mark Wood. But the fast bowler was not replaced by a fast bowler; instead, it is spinning all-rounder Will Jacks who comes into the side to play his first Test match in three years.
Meanwhile, cricketers of both teams were spotted with black armbands.
AUS vs ENG: Why Australia And England Players Are Wearing Black Armbands In Ashes 2nd Test At The Gabba?
England and Australian players are wearing black armbands in the 2nd Test of the Ashes in Brisbane to pay tribute to former England batsman Robin Smith, who died on December 1, 2025, at his home in Perth, aged 62.
Robin Smith played 62 Tests, 71 ODIs, 426 first-class matches, and 443 List-A matches in his illustrious career. He scored over 6000 runs and 13 centuries for England and amassed 26155 first-class runs and 14927 List-A runs in a career that spanned over two decades.
Robin had met England Lions players in Perth last month. Addressing his demise, England captain Ben Stokes said, “Just last week, he was there chatting with the Lions who were out here. He was at the game last week and talking to people, going into quite a lot of detail about his life and opening up quite a lot. I know quite a lot of people who did know him very well, played a lot of cricket with him, and the same thing kept on coming up which was just that he was an absolute belter of a bloke.”
AUS vs ENG: Playing XIs for Ashes 2nd Test:
England: Ben Stokes(c), Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Will Jacks, Jamie Smith(wk), Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer
Australia: Steven Smith(c), Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Scott Boland, Alex Carey(wk), Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser, Brendan Doggett
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