The excitement of the second Ashes Test between Australia and England is set to begin on December 4th at Brisbane's historic Gabba ground. England suffered a crushing defeat in the first Test, but now the Australian team has been dealt a major blow ahead of the second Test.
Sports News: The second Ashes Test between Australia and England will be played from December 4th at Brisbane's historic Gabba ground. Before this match, the Australian team has suffered a setback, as Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the second Test due to injury. Khawaja sustained a back injury during the first Test match played in Perth. Currently, the Kangaroos have not announced his replacement.
On the other hand, England has announced their playing XI for the Gabba Test, featuring a significant change. This alteration could have a crucial impact on the team's balance and strategy, as the visiting team will now take the field with the intention of counter-attacking after their defeat in the first Test.
Usman Khawaja's Injury Becomes the Reason
Usman Khawaja suffered a back injury during the first Test match played in Perth. He scored only 2 runs in the first Test. During Tuesday's practice session, he was also seen struggling with back pain. This indicated that Khawaja is not yet fully fit and would find it difficult to play in the second Test. There are possibilities of including Josh Inglis or Beau Webster as Khawaja's replacement.
Josh Inglis recently scored a century against England Lions, and his opening batting ability could prove useful for the Australian team. Due to Khawaja's injury, Travis Head had to open the batting in the second innings of the first Test. Now, with Josh Inglis included, Head could return to the middle order.
England Makes a Big Change
After losing the first Test by 8 wickets, England has made a change to their playing XI for the second Test. Mark Wood has been ruled out of the team due to injury. All-rounder Will Jacks has been included in the final XI in his place. Will Jacks made his Test debut against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2022 and created a sensation in the cricketing world by taking 6 wickets in his very first match.
The return of this 27-year-old all-rounder could prove to be a significant advantage for the England team. Jacks has not had many opportunities in the last three years, but he has played some international matches in limited-overs cricket and has improved his game during this period.
