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Will Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood play 2nd Ashes Test match? AUS head coach reveals

Harsh Adwani

Cummins & Hazlewood (Source: AFP Photos)Cummins & Hazlewood (Source: AFP Photos)

Australia took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing Ashes series in Perth. They took the second day by storm, as Travis Head’s massive century guided them through. However, they were without their regular captain, Pat Cummins, who had been ruled out of the first match with a lumbar back stress injury. Steve Smith led the team in his absence.

Australia’s Head Coach, Andrew McDonald, has now hinted at the skipper’s potential return to the team for the second Test in Brisbane, stating that his recovery is “nearing completion”. He also suggested that the call will only be taken on the eve of the next match.

"It will be a genuine discussion leading into this Test match, and that may be one that eventuates late for us. (There's still) a little bit to work through, but it's nearing completion (and) it's really, really positive,” McDonald told the reporters.

Additionally, McDonald also said that the pacer was supposed to bowl in the nets on Day 4 of the first Test, but that had to be postponed since the match ended early and the team had to travel to Brisbane.

"He was meant to bowl on day four of the game, so that hasn't eventuated the way that we would have liked for Patty. He's just slid that bowling date back with the travel in between … it has slid from a Monday bowl to a Tuesday bowl. Once we see him there again, we'll be able to then join the dots as to what that (return) potentially looks like,” he said.

McDonald gives update on Josh Hazlewood

The head coach also denied speculations about another fast bowler, Josh Hazlewood, being ruled out of the rest of the series. He had suffered a hamstring injury in the final round of the Sheffield Shield before the Ashes. McDonald also confirmed that Hazlewood might return towards the end of the series.

"I don't think he's out for the whole series. He's working through first week of his rehab … once he gets further down the track, then we'll be in a position to communicate (updates). He'll be available at some point in the series,” he said.

Debutant Brendan Doggett and Scott Boland had replaced the two injured bowlers in the team. Doggett was impressive on his debut, picking up five wickets in the match. Boland, on the other hand, was Australia’s most expensive bowler.