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New Delhi: Australia will take on England in the second Test of the Ashes series at the Gabba in Brisbane from December 4. The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, and the second Test will be a day-night affair.
According to an ESPNcricinfo report, Josh Hazlewood is set to miss the second Test, but there is confidence in the Australian camp that the pacer will play a role later in the series. He was ruled out of the first Test in Perth after picking up a problem in the hamstring during the Sheffield Shield match, with an initial scan showing no signs of injury.
According to the report, the fast bowler will join the Australian squad ahead of the second Test in Brisbane to continue his rehab. Head coach Andrew McDonald expects him to be available later in the series.
He said that Hazlewood is working through the first week of his rehab, and once he gets further down the track, then they will have some rough timelines and will be in a position to communicate his return date.
"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," McDonald said.
After the first Test finished in just two days, there has been a minor change to the Australian captain's bowling schedule. He was seen bowling in full tilt ahead of the first Test, and was due to bowl on the fourth day of the Test match. But the plan was pushed back a day after he travelled home to Sydney.
However, the signs are encouraging for the Australian captain, but McDonald said they could take a late call on whether he plays the day-night Test in Brisbane.
"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," McDonald said. He further added that it will be a genuine discussion leading into the second Test match.
In the absence of Cummins and Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc picked up a 10-wicket haul in the first Test, including a career-best 7/58 in the first innings.
