Australia captain Cummins to miss second Ashes Test

Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 Tests

Australia will again be without Pat Cummins for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane as the captain continues to recover from a back injury.

Fast bowler Cummins, who has not played since July, missed Australia's astonishing defeat of England in the first Test in Perth.

The 32-year-old bowled in the nets in Perth and again in Sydney between Tests and was expected to return for the day-nighter at the Gabba, beginning on Thursday.

But Australia have named an unchanged squad, once again led by stand-in captain Steve Smith.

In naming the same 14 players, Australia are also without injured fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, while opener Usman Khawaja retains his place.

Cummins is understood not to have completed the programme required for his return to play in a Test.

He will join the rest of the squad in Brisbane on Sunday as he continues to build towards a comeback.

Missing the second Test means Cummins has almost three more weeks to prepare for a potential appearance in the third match of the series in Adelaide, beginning on 17 December (23:30 GMT, 16 December).

Hazlewood missed the first Test with a hamstring injury and, like Cummins, has been bowling in the nets in Sydney this week. There is no indication as to when the 34-year-old could make his return.

Australia squad for second Ashes Test: Steve Smith (captain), 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.

Without Cummins and Hazlewood, Australia could field an unchanged attack for the pink-ball Test.

In Perth, left-armer Mitchell Starc took 10 wickets and was named player of the match. He was joined by fellow seamers Scott Boland and debutant Brendan Doggett, along with all-rounder Cameron Green and off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon struggled in Perth after being struck while batting by England fast bowler Mark Wood. If Australia decide to omit their frontline spinner in Brisbane, his replacement would be either seamer Michael Neser or all-rounder Beau Webster.

Khawaja's place is under scrutiny after he was not fit to open the batting in either innings in Perth.

In the second innings, Travis Head was promoted from number five and struck one of the all-time great Ashes hundreds to lead Australia to victory.

If Khawaja is left out on his home ground, it would leave the door open for Josh Inglis, who made a hundred for a Cricket Australia XI against England Lions on Monday.

Australia have not lost an Ashes Test in Brisbane since 1986. They have lost only one of their 14 previous pink-ball Tests and have beaten England in all three Ashes day-nighters.

England opted against sending any of their first-Test XI to play in a two-day pink-ball match between England Lions and the Prime Minister's XI in Canberra, starting on Saturday.

The tourists have arranged two extra training sessions in the run-up to the second Test.

They will return to practice at Allan Border Field on Saturday, when captain Ben Stokes is due to speak to the media.