Bazball under microscope as England face pink ball demons in 2nd Ashes Test

England’s unyielding faith in Bazball will be under scrutiny at a flood-lit Gabba from Thursday as Ben Stokes’s side confront their pink ball frailties and the spectre of a 2-0 Ashes deficit to Australia.

After surrendering a dominant position in the eight-wicket defeat in Perth, England need at least a draw in the second test in Brisbane to have genuine hope of contending in the five-match series.

But history and conditions suggest a result is overwhelmingly likely.

All day-night Tests, which use a pink ball that shows up better under the lights instead of the typical red, have produced a winner, and England’s record under lights offers little comfort. They have lost five of their seven pink-ball matches, including all three against Australia.

The most recent against the hosts was a 146-run hiding in Hobart in the 2021/22 Ashes, a loss that sealed a 4-0 series drubbing and paved the way for the attacking revolution under England coach Brendon “Baz” McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.

Four years on, Bazball is now in the firing line, with former players and pundits decrying the high-risk game on Australia’s spicy pitches.

McCullum and Stokes are unmoved, though, believing that changing tack now could only lead to ruin.

“I’ve got complete trust in the players that we select to go out there with that mentality of being the person who’s going to influence the game in the right way for us,” Stokes told reporters at the Gabba on Wednesday.

“Sometimes that doesn’t always work out that way ... We’ve taken some lessons from last week.”

DAY-NIGHT CREDENTIALS: Bazball or bust, it will take something special for England to win the series from here.

No English side has come back from 1-0 down to claim the urn in Australia since the 1950s and none have won a test at the Gabba since Mike Gatting’s team in 1986.

Australia, by contrast, are sitting pretty, effectively owning the day-night format with a record of 13 wins in 14 Tests.

If England can take a scrap of comfort, it is that Australia’s sole defeat with the pink ball came at the Gabba, in 2024, against the West Indies.

While the Gabba is renowned for pace and bounce, England shelved their four-seamer setup from Perth, recalling spin-bowling all-rounder Will Jacks for just his third test in place of Mark Wood.

Jacks will be tasked with stiffening England’s batting after their collapse led to a defeat inside two days in Perth.

Australia will not confirm their XI until the toss on Thursday but Travis Head is expected to continue opening in place of the injured Usman Khawaja following his match-winning 123 in the second innings in Perth.

That would open the door for wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis to step into the middle order and play his first test in Australia should selectors again overlook Beau Webster as a second all-round option.

Stand-in skipper Steve Smith said there may even be a place for regular captain Pat Cummins in the XI, despite the fast bowler’s omission from the squad named last week.

Former England cricketer Robin dies at 62: Robin Smith, the batter who shone for England in a period when it was beaten regularly in Test cricket, has died. He was 62.

Smith’s family said in a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Boar d that he died unexpectedly at his home in Perth, Australia, on Monday. No cause was given.

He played 62 Tests for England from 1988-96, scoring 4,236 runs at an average of 43.67 with nine centuries. His signature shot was the square cut.

Smith also played in 71 one-day internationals and was part of England’s squad that reached the 1992 World Cup final.

Agence France-Presse