Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has provided a massive update on the fitness of skipper Pat Cummins and pacer Josh Hazlewood ahead of the second Ashes Test, beginning on December 4 at The Gabba. Both Cummins and Hazlewood missed the opening Ashes Test owing to their respective injuries.
Cummins missed the game due to back issues, while Hazlewood had been sidelined with a hamstring strain. Josh Hazlewood, meanwhile, looks set to miss the Gabba Test; however, head coach McDonald expressed optimism that the experienced seamer will rejoin the squad later in the series.
"He's working through the first week of his rehab. I'm not sure that we need to give an update on that. Once he gets further down the track and [we] have some rough timelines, then we'll be in a position to communicate that,” McDonald was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
"I know that he'll be available at some point during the series. We've got a little bit of that early rehab to go through to formulate where he may plug into the series, but we expect him to take some part in the series,” he added.
Talking about Cummins, McDonald said a late decision will be made on captain Pat Cummins’ fitness. Cummins has been working intensively in the nets and remains hopeful of returning to lead the attack in the day-night pink-ball fixture.
"It looked like a player that was nearing the completion of his rehabilitation. The intensity was there, the ball speed was there. There's a lot of positives, but now it's just really building that resilience within the soft tissue and making sure that we're not putting him in harm's way in terms of accelerating it too much,” McDonald said.
“But it will be a genuine discussion leading into this Test match. That may be one that eventuates late for us. A little bit to work through but it's nearing completion, which is really, really positive,” he added.
Australia are leading the series 1-0 after securing a dominant eight-wicket victory over England in the first game.