Ashes: Can England snap Australia's pink-ball dominance in Brisbane?
What's the story
After a long break, England will face Australia in the 2nd Test of the 2025/26 Ashes series, starting Thursday at The Gabba. The match will be played under lights with the pink ball, a format that has historically favored Australia. They have won 13 out of 14 Day-Night Tests. England, who are yet to beat Australia in a pink-ball Test, will be looking to bounce back after their defeat in Perth.
Details
Pitch report and streaming details
The pitch at The Gabba is expected to have a green tinge. Curator Dave Sandurski hinted at leaving 3mm of grass on the pitch. According to ESPNcricinfo, the surface could be slower than expected, but seamers will certainly flourish under lights with the pink ball. The match, starting at 9:30am IST, will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network, while JioHotstar will provide the live streaming (app and website).
Team newsÂ
England: Will Jacks replaces injured Mark Wood
England's strategy for the second Test is a mix of sticking to their aggressive approach while making a forced change. Mark Wood has been ruled out with a knee issue, making way for Will Jacks in the squad. Jacks is included as a spin option, preferred over Shoaib Bashir for this match. Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicket-keeper), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, and Jofra Archer.
Team news
Australia: Usman Khawaja to miss out
On the other hand, veteran opener Usman Khawaja will miss out with back spasms. This means Travis Head, who scored a match-winning century in Perth, will continue to open alongside Jake Weatherald at The Gabba. Meanwhile, regular skipper Pat Cummins is yet to recover from his back injury. Probable XI: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (captain), Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wicket-keeper), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, and Brendan Doggett.
Past performance
A look at head-to-head record
Australia and England have locked horns in 362 Tests so far, with Australia winning 153. While England have won 112 games, 97 of those have been drawn. Notably, England have lost 100 of their 186 Tests in Australia, winning 57 and drawing 29. Since the start of this century, Australia have hosted England in 31 Tests. The rivalry is lop-sided as England have lost 24 of those Tests, winning only four. Three Tests ended in a draw.
D/N Tests
Australia, England in pink-ball Tests
Australia are the most successful side in Day-Night Tests, having won 13 and their 14 matches. Their only defeat came against West Indies in Brisbane last year. On the other hand, England have lost five of their seven Day-Night Tests as of now. Three of those defeats came against Australia. Notably, Australia's Mitchell Starc is the highest wicket-taker in Day-Night Tests (81 wickets at 17.08).
Numbers
Here are the notable numbers
While Starc leads the wicket column, the highest run-scorer in pink-ball Tests is also from Australia. With four tons, Labuschagne has 958 Test runs (15 innings) at 63.86 under lights. Averaging over 50, Head also has three tons in Day-Night Tests. Meanwhile, Root continues his quest for a Test ton in Australia. Notably, England will play their first pink-ball Test without both Stuart Broad and James Anderson.