Paceman Brendan Doggett is unsure whether he will play in the day-night Test at the Gabba but has guaranteed he will be ready to fire if Pat Cummins is absent
Brendan Doggett is mentally prepared and physically ready to rock for Australia at the Gabba should captain Pat Cummins not be available for the second Test.
Doggett took match figures of 5-78 on debut in the eight-wicket win over England as Cummins continued his rehab after a back stress injury ruled him out of the first Ashes Test.
Cummins bowled in the Perth nets and backed that up on Tuesday with another session at Cricket NSW headquarters, while bowling with the pink ball.
At the Sydney session, Cummins was joined by fellow injured paceman Josh Hazlewood, who is not expected back from a hamstring injury for the day-night Test which starts next Thursday.
Australia coach Andrew McDonald said this week that Cummins was a genuine chance for Brisbane.
“There’s a lot of positives there, but now it’s just really building that resilience there, and making sure that we’re not putting him in harm’s way in terms of accelerating it too much,” he said.
“But it will be a genuine discussion leading into this Test match, and that may be one that eventuates late for us.”
Doggett, 31, is the most likely casualty should Cummins return but he will prepare as though he is playing.
“Pat is looking pretty good in the nets now so we will see where that lands,” Doggett said on Thursday.
“I am going to control what I can control, keep ticking the legs over and keep bowling and trying to improve in every session and game. If I get called on in that second Test I feel like I am ready to go again.”
The South Australia quick was asked directly if he’d had any word from selectors about whether he would make way for Cummins.
“There have been no conversations whatsoever,” he said.
“We are soaking in the win and letting everyone get back to their families. We arrive in Brisbane on Sunday so I assume conversations will start there about what the line-up looks like for the second Test.”
Doggett said he did not have a lot of pink-ball experience but would be ready to adapt to the conditions at the Gabba.
He beat the bat with good length deliveries in Perth but his wickets came from short-pitched deliveries that the England batsmen found too hot to handle.
“It was a pretty hectic week on and off the field for me. Obviously it was nice to get the win and watch Travis Head go to town in that fourth innings,” he said.
“I didn’t imagine it being a two-day Test and Trav scoring a 69-ball hundred but the crowd and atmosphere were amazing and all my friends and family were there to support me. It is what I dreamt of so glad to get that one off my chest.”
Debate continues over whether Head should stay as an opener in Brisbane or if selectors should give Usman Khawaja another crack at his home ground after back spasms and their aftermath prevented him opening with Jake Weatherald in WA.
In-form Queensland opener Matt Renshaw is another candidate.
“I’ll leave that talk to the batters,” Doggett said.
“I don’t think it is up to the bloke that bats at No.11 to be honest.”
2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes
First Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3pm AEDT
Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT
Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT
Australia squad (first Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood
