• Australia may allow captain Pat Cummins to return for the second Ashes Test.
• Josh Inglis is expected to make his debut in the middle order.
• Travis Head will continue as an opener due to Usman Khawaja's injury.
• Australia leads the series 1-0 after a victory in the first Test.
• The team for the second Test will be confirmed at the toss on Thursday.

Australia's cricket captain, Steve Smith, has hinted at the possibility of Pat Cummins making a surprising return for the second Ashes Test against England. Cummins, who has been recovering from a back injury, was omitted from the squad for the initial match but has shown promising signs during training sessions, according to Smith. "He looks pretty good to me, the way he's bowled in the nets," said Smith when speaking in Brisbane, where the game is set to take place. This potential return adds suspense to the selection process as the match approaches, especially since Australia already leads the series 1-0 following a dominant performance in Perth.

In addition to Cummins, it is expected that England-born Josh Inglis will slot into the middle order, filling the gap left by Usman Khawaja, who is sidelined due to a back injury. Travis Head, who impressed with a century in the first Test, will continue as an opener, maintaining his spot in the batting lineup. "He’s obviously a pretty attacking batsman, he did really well on his debut in Sri Lanka," Smith noted about Inglis, further reinforcing the team's confidence in him for this match.

With the team composition still uncertain, Cricket Australia has delayed finalizing the lineup until the toss on match day, allowing them to assess conditions on the Gabba pitch. "There are a whole heap of things on the table," Smith remarked during a press conference. The stakes are high for England as they aim to avoid defeat and keep their hopes of regaining the Ashes alive, given their poor record at the Gabba, having last won there in 1986.

The anticipation for the day-night match is underscored by Australia's historical success in pink-ball Tests, having won 12 out of 13 games played under similar conditions. Both teams will be eager to showcase their strategies as they contend with the nuances of the pink ball, particularly under floodlights where conditions can shift dramatically. "That’s one thing we have to weigh up going into this game and see how it plays out," said Smith.