Australia opener Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the second 2025-26 Ashes Test due to an injury.
Khawaja’s international future is in doubt after he was ruled out of the second 2025/26 Ashes Test in Brisbane, starting December 4. He failed to recover from the back injury he suffered during the series opener in Perth two weeks ago. He had a half-hour net session at the Gabba on Tuesday and was visibly in discomfort.
His unavailability means Australia would likely continue with Travis Head as an opener after he smashed a 69-ball hundred – the joint third-fastest by an Australian – in the fourth innings at Perth. Australia had also tried Marnus Labuschagne as a makeshift opener in the first innings in the previous match. With Khawaja missing out, the hosts will have to choose from their two spare batters, Josh Inglis and all-rounder Beau Webster.
A back injury has forced Usman Khawaja out of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 2, 2025
Australia have opted not to replace him in the squad. pic.twitter.com/EpEIz15jmn
Inglis made a century on his Test debut earlier this year and also scored a hundred against England Lions last week. Meanwhile, Webster has made an impressive start to his Test career, averaging 34.63 with the bat and 23.25 with the ball in seven matches since his debut.
Khawaja has endured a torrid run of form. Since his career-best 232 against Sri Lanka in January, he has gone 11 innings without a fifty, averaging 18.80. He was also recently involved in an off-field controversy after calling the Perth pitch for the series opener a "piece of s***" following the fall of 19 wickets on the first day. About to turn 39 in less than two weeks, Khawaja’s international future remains in limbo, but he has not been released from the squad yet.
Steve Smith will continue to lead the home side as Pat Cummins will sit out for the second consecutive Test due to a back injury.
Australia squad for Ashes 2025-26 2nd Test
Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
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