Australia have been dealt a major setback ahead of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, with Usman Khawaja, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood all facing uncertainty due to fitness concerns. While early reports suggested all three were ruled out, the current picture shows a more nuanced — but still worrying — situation for the hosts.
Usman Khawaja, battling back spasms suffered during the Perth Test, remains short of full fitness despite undergoing an intense half-hour net session on Monday. The opener faced throwdowns from assistant coach Michael Di Venuto, managing several crisp strokes but also grimacing in visible discomfort, particularly after more expansive shots.
Khawaja completed light running drills and showed good reflexes — even swaying away from a sharp bouncer — but his back concerns persist. Medical staff were seen monitoring him closely, with team doctor Leigh Golding even signalling for the session to end, though Khawaja continued batting for 10 more minutes, underscoring his desperation to feature in his home Ashes Test.
Pat Cummins, recovering from his own lower-back injury, has shown encouraging signs, but Australia are unlikely to take risks with their captain ahead of a long summer.
Josh Hazlewood, meanwhile, is also being assessed, and the management is expected to decide on all three players over the next two days.
Australia’s staff — including coach Andrew McDonald and selector George Bailey — are expected to monitor how Khawaja and Cummins recover from today’s workload before making a final call. With only three days left for the Gabba Test, the hosts suddenly find themselves in a tense fitness race as England look to pounce on any vulnerability.
This remains a developing story, with more clarity expected after Tuesday’s main training session.
