Ashes 2025-26: Will Jacks in England team for second Test

Will Jacks will play his first Test in three years after England included a spin option for the second Ashes Test against Australia in Brisbane.

The off-spinner takes the place of injured pace bowler Mark Wood in the only change from the side beaten heavily in the first Test in Perth.

The 27-year-old is selected ahead of Shoaib Bashir for the day-night match at the Gabba partly because his batting ability offers England more depth at number eight.

Meanwhile, Australia opener Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the pink-ball Test at the Gabba after failing to recover from the back spasms he suffered in Perth.

The absence of the 38-year-old clears the way for Travis Head to continue opening the batting following his match-winning century in the first Test.

Australia have not called a replacement into their squad, with Leeds-born batter Josh Inglis set to come into the side.

The home side have also not ruled out a shock return for captain Pat Cummins, who missed the first Test with a back injury and is not officially in the squad for this match.

However, Cummins has taken part in training in Brisbane and there appears to be a chance he could return to the team on Thursday.

“I’d love to see him out there playing,” said fellow fast bowler Scott Boland.

“He looked in red-hot form the other night. It’s as good as you’ll see a fast bowler charging in the nets. We know how good he is, he’s the best bowler in the world.

“We want him out there as desperately as everyone else does. I’m not sure a decision has been made on that yet.”

Jacks was a left-field inclusion in England’s Ashes squad and gets the opportunity to win a third Test cap despite focusing heavily on white-ball cricket in recent years.

The Surrey man has played only three first-class matches this year, taking five wickets in 74.1 overs.

“Everyone knows what a brilliant cricketer he is,” said England batter and Jacks’ Surrey team-mate Ollie Pope.

“The way he’s grown over the last few years, we’ve seen his white-ball game really go forward. It’s a great opportunity for his red-ball, too.

“He’s obviously got that style of spin bowling where he can get some bounce and turn off the pitch, then everyone has seen the skills he’s got in the white-ball format. He can take on a really good attack.”

Jacks, who has 60 caps in white-ball cricket, is primarily a batting all-rounder but did claim six wickets on his Test debut against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2022.

Although day-night Tests are perceived to suit fast bowlers, Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon has a better average, economy rate and strike-rate bowling with a pink ball compared to the red.

Referring to the “tactical element” of day-night Tests, England captain Ben Stokes pointed to how Australia use Lyon.

“They play a lot of day-night cricket here,” said Stokes.

“How they use their spinner as an attacking option, or more to get through the overs quicker to have more time with the new ball under lights – there’s both those elements to consider.”

England team for second Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.