You'd think they were choosing a roster for the Royal Rumble rather than picking a playing XI for an Ashes Test. What
with all the intrigue, the suspense and the overwhelming sense of drama to start with around who will eventually end up
with the captain's blazer for Australia come Thursday afternoon.
The signs still suggest that it wouldn't be Pat Cummins and that it will be Steve Smith continuing in his role as the
stand-in. Or so it felt like even two days out from the Test. But certain reports overnight in the Australian newspapers
triggered a whole new wave of speculation around the make-up of the home team for the second Test. Most of it
surrounding Cummins and his potentially surprise inclusion at the Gabba, despite him still not being named officially in
It turned into the most pro wrestling of angles based around ironically the one man in this Australian team who insists
on never having watched sports entertainment of that genre. Cummins has been indeed bowling with a lot of verve in the
Gabba nets over the last few days, having had his longest stint with the ball on Monday afternoon. Where unlike Perth,
he not only ran in and tormented the batters for nearly 40 minutes, but also then had a second bowl for around 20
minutes with a batting net in between. Even then though it seemed more like this being the next step in Cummins' lengthy
preparation to get ready for action eventually, rather than him rapidly proving his fitness for an early comeback.
But whether it was indeed genuine uncertainty or a ruse to play along with the external mania around them pulling off a
couple of shock moves, the Australians turned the eve of the Test into a curious mystery, with a number of players
getting incessant attention at different times like this was a whodunit affair.
It started with Smith being very noncommittal to any questions regarding the team, even when it wasn't clearly about
Cummins independently. He basically left the door open to a any number of options or combinations, which meant that
every move made by the handful of Australian players present at the Gabba on Wednesday was viewed through a very fine
Then came the multiple pitch inspections with a number of the coaching stuff examining the surface, which is learnt to
have only 3mm of grass on top, with great interest. Cummins arrived at the ground wearing a white t-shirt and grey
shorts and was on the phone for a long period of time. He didn't bowl or bat but did reappear an hour or so later, this
time in his training gear, alongside Smith, head coach and selector, Andrew McDonald and chief selector George Bailey.
This was probably the longest pitch examination with the four of them very aware of all eyes being on them, as they
played along to the gallery. Cummins at one point in jest pretending to chuck his cap down to the ground in disgust
after having shared a hug with one of the selectors.
Maybe it's the biggest swerve this Australian team have pulled in their time together. By reinstating Cummins as captain
at the last minute in the expense of Nathan Lyon on what is being considered by the Aussie camp as one of the flattest
pitches they've had for a pink ball Test in Australia. Which might not make a lot of logical sense unless the
Australians really want it to.
But after a day filled with incredible intrigue, the bigger swerve might be if they stick with what they had in Perth,
except for the one forced change. For now though, we wait to see whose entrance music plays and who walks through the
curtain for the toss around 1.30 pm Brisbane time on Friday.
What to expect: Though there was some focus on the greenness of the Gabba pitch a few days out from the Test, the 3mm
grass revelation from the curator has sent a lot of experts into a tailspin, with that potentially meaning a longer Test
match if the English do play ball. There are a lot of differences of course between a day-night Test here as compared to
the traditional venue for the pink-ball contest over in Adelaide. Mainly because of how quickly it gets dark here in
Brisbane and the lack of twilight period in this part of the world. That'd mean that nearly a session and a half of the
Test will be played under lights, which is where the pink ball really starts to play rogue. And that will be the added
x-factor to how this Test goes, despite the overall flatness of the surface.
Brendan Doggett looks certain to keep his place in the team after an impressive debut, which would mean that a Cummins
for Lyon swap might be the likeliest scenario if there is to be a late shock shake-up of the Australian team. There is
no guarantee around Head opening in both innings either with Josh Inglis having recently made a century as opener for
Will Jacks looked primed to play his first Ashes Test four days before the match with a lot of attention given to his
batting and bowling sessions. It's a bold move from England but a positive one and again might have to do with the
surface and the uniqueness of pink ball cricket here. The rationale behind Jacks replacing the injured Wood could be
justified by the belief that not a lot of spin will be bowled during this pink Test, thereby eliminating the need to
play a specialist spinner, and instead opt for a hard-hitting explosive No 8 who can still bowl handy spin for 8-9 overs