Australia captain Pat Cummins kept everyone guessing on the eve of the second Ashes Test, leaving the door ajar for a dramatic comeback in Brisbane.
Cummins missed his side’s victory in Perth with a back injury and was subsequently omitted from the squad for this week’s day/nigher at the Gabba.
But he has continued training with his team-mates and, although Cummins has never officially been added to their roster, Australia have been decidedly cagey about whether he could still make the XI.
Stand-in skipper Steve Smith appeared at the pre-match captain’s press conference but gave no guarantees that he would be leading the side out.
He hinted that the team would be announced following a final assessment of the pitch but, after a long look that also included Cummins and head coach Andrew McDonald, it was confirmed that Australia would not be naming their team until the toss.
That will take place at 2pm local time, or 3.30am in the United Kingdom.
“A whole heap of things are on the table. We’ll wait and see what the wicket looks like later and from there we’ll determine a playing XI,” said Smith.
“(Cummins) looks pretty good to me, he’s bowled in the nets. Obviously, games are different intensity, for sure, but he’s tracking nicely and he knows his body well. We’ll wait and see.”
Brendan Doggett, who took five wickets on debut last time out, would be the most likely to make way if the skipper made his return, though there has been some speculation over the role of spinner Nathan Lyon.
Yorkshire-born Josh Inglis is expected to beat Beau Webster to a middle-order recall, with Usman Khawaja out injured and Travis Head ready to open again following a match-winning century as a stand-in at Perth.
