Inglis to replace Khawaja for Gabba Test, intrigue remains over Cummins

Josh Inglis will replace Usman Khawaja and play his first Test on home soil, as Australia left the door ajar for captain Pat Cummins to return in an all-pace attack at the Gabba.

All eyes will be on the man in Australia’s green captain’s blazer at the toss of the coin on Thursday afternoon when the hosts will announce their starting XI for this summer’s day/night Test.

Steve Smith filled in for Cummins at the captain’s press conference on a day dominated by selection intrigue over the make-up of Australia’s attack. Cummins was not sighted at Australia’s optional match eve session until the final half hour when he joined Smith and selectors George Bailey and Andrew McDonald for a 20-minute pitch inspection.

They saw a Test strip that was only a marginally lighter shade of green to the outfield.

This masthead can reveal all-rounder Beau Webster will not play, eliminating the scenario where Australia’s spare parts man could bat at eight and be used as a part-time spin option.

The key question for selectors is whether the traditionally bouncy Gabba deck will produce another shortened Test dominated by pace, thereby rendering veteran Nathan Lyon’s off-spin all but redundant.

Cummins has impressed players and coaches at training but, having not played a competitive match since July due to a back injury, there are doubts over his stamina.

“He looks pretty good to me, the way he’s bowled in the nets,” Smith said. “Games are a different intensity, for sure. He’s tracking really nicely, he knows his body well.

“He’s not a bad bowler, is he? His record speaks for itself. He’s a wonderful bowler. He’s going to bowl good line and lengths, challenge the batting and his leadership as well. We’ll wait and see. He’s close, he’s done everything really well in the last little bit.”

Selectors were vindicated omitting Lyon for Australia’s last day/night Test in Jamaica but it would be a gamble if they were to leave him out again here.

Lyon, who relishes the extra bounce at the Gabba, has taken 52 wickets at a tick under 29 in Brisbane, and his pink-ball numbers are also compelling with 43 wickets at 25.62. Though day/night Tests favour the quicks, Lyon plays an important role during the afternoon sessions before the pink ball misbehaves in twilight and after dark.

McDonald last week did not guarantee Lyon a start, and Smith was similarly non-committal.

“We’ll look at the surface and sum things up from there,” Smith said. “Here’s a place where Nathan has done really well in the past. He’s a quality bowler.”

Inglis is set to bat in the middle order role in place of Travis Head, who will open the batting alongside Jake Weatherald, according to three sources with knowledge of team plans.

A wicketkeeper who has performed well in all formats as a specialist batter, Inglis has played three Tests for Australia – two against Sri Lanka and one against the West Indies.

He plundered 102 off 94 balls in his maiden Test innings in Galle this year to become the first Australian to reach triple figures on debut since Adam Voges in 2015.

Inglis comes into the Gabba Test in form, with scores of 40 and 125 not out for a Cricket Australia XI against the England Lions last month.

However, due to international white-ball commitments, Inglis has only played one Sheffield Shield match for Western Australia this season, making scores of four and 28.

He managed 17 runs across two innings during his most recent Test against the West Indies in Barbados. In first class cricket, Inglis averages 35.67.

“[He’s] been a really good player for a long period of time,” Smith said. “He’s come up through the system and continues to get better and better. Every opportunity he’s got at any level, be it T20, one-day or Test cricket, he’s put his best foot forward and done a good job for the team. If he gets an opportunity he’ll do really well.”

Inglis’ inclusion means Webster is set to be snubbed despite a promising start to his Test career and being a regular in the team since the Sydney Test against India earlier this year.

Webster was in back-to-back conversations with McDonald and Bailey at the start of training before collecting his batting gear for a hit.

Cricket Australia staff and media were evacuated from the Gabba, and fire trucks arrived at about 4pm local time on Wednesday, after a smoke detector went off outside a kitchen. The alarm was sounded as the Australians were leaving the venue, which reopened about 10 minutes later. England captain Ben Stokes later held his pre-game press conference before his team trained.

Stokes said England’s inclusion of spinning all-rounder Will Jacks (in place of injured speedster Mark Wood) ahead of lead spinner Shoaib Bashir had been done with the pink-ball conditions in Brisbane in mind.

Stokes replied to a question about recent photos of England players wearing scooters without helmets by saying: “Next time we’re on a scooter, we will wear helmets.”

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