The Ashes 2025/26 | Australia vs England | Second Test Preview and Predictions

After an incredible start to the 2025/26 Ashes series, the action moves to Brisbane for the second match, which will also be a day-night affair. Australia have an incredible record in pink-ball Tests, having lost only one of them since they were introduced in 2015.

England come into this game with their backs against the wall after being outclassed in the opener and need a huge turnaround if they want to keep their Ashes hopes alive. 

For the second Test of the 2025/26 Ashes series, here we present our preview and predictions.

The Ashes 2025/26 | 2nd Test | 09:30 IST, December 4–8, 2025

Australia have announced an unchanged squad for the second Test, having left Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood out for one more game. They have no reason to worry, though, as they have more than enough calibre in their arsenal to dominate the English.

Without Cummins and Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc stepped up for the hosts in the first game and ensured they didn’t miss their captain too much. A ten-wicket haul from the veteran star pacer kept Australia firmly in the game despite a poor first innings with the bat. Starc was well-supported by Scott Boland and debutant Brendan Doggett, with all 20 England wickets being taken by the pacers.

The seam attack will once again be key in Brisbane, and Starc, who is a master with the pink ball, will once again lead from the front.

Australia’s only concern going forward will be their batting unit, which had a shocking outing in the first innings and was bundled out for 132. A whirlwind 123 from Travis Head did take England out of the game in the second innings, but the Australia management will want the middle order to spend more time out in the middle and get some runs on the board.

At the top of the order, Jake Weatherald — another debutant — got some runs in the second innings but seemed uneasy against the pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. Marnus Labuschagne also got a much-needed 51* in the second innings, which was crucial not just for the team but also for him on an individual level amid what has been a poor run of form.

Usman Khawaja’s fitness will be a key issue as well. The 38-year-old did not open the innings during the chase after a back spasm. Having been included in the squad for the second Test, it remains to be seen if he will make the XI and, if he does, whether Australia continue with him at the top or push Head to open after his blitzkrieg match-winning knock in the second innings.

In the other camp, barring Ollie Pope’s 46 and Harry Brook’s 52, England’s batters had little to show for all their time out in the middle, and things hardly look promising for their squad as a whole.

Most players in the current English squad have never played a pink-ball Test, and the English team surprisingly opted out of playing a warm-up game with the pink ball ahead of the second Test.

England had the game in their hands last time out after Australia’s first innings, but another poor show with the bat and Travis Head’s own show afterwards blew them away from a winning position.

In terms of positives for the visitors, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Ben Stokes had a strong outing with the ball in the first innings. However, none of Archer, Carse, and Gus Atkinson has played a day-night Test before. In fact, there’s not much pink-ball experience in the English squad in general barring the top order, making winning the second Test a very tall order.

The Brisbane pitch will once again be assistive to seamers, especially with the pink ball, though even the batters should find things better after what was a nightmare show from both camps in Perth.

Australia start as favourites for us once again. England’s gung-ho approach makes for spectacular viewing, but when it doesn’t work, things fall apart even more spectacularly. Given most players in the visiting camp have no pink-ball experience, it’s hard to see an English triumph here.

Fantasy XI: Ben Duckett, Travis Head, Steve Smith (c), Joe Root, Harry Brooks, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Ben Stokes, Mitchell Starc (vc), Jofra Archer, Scott Boland

Venue: Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Winners Prediction: Australia