England select spinner Jacks for second Ashes Test

Will Jacks will play his first Test in three years after England included a spin option for the second Ashes Test against Australia in Brisbane.

The off-spinner takes the place of injured pace bowler Mark Wood in the only change from the side beaten heavily in the first Test in Perth.

The 27-year-old is selected ahead of Shoaib Bashir for the day-night match at the Gabba partly because his batting ability offers England more depth at number eight.

Meanwhile, Australia opener Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the pink-ball Test at the Gabba after failing to recover from the back spasms he suffered in Perth.

The absence of the 38-year-old clears the way for Travis Head to continue opening the batting following his match-winning century in the first Test.

Australia have not called a replacement into their squad, meaning Leeds-born batter Josh Inglis or all-rounder Beau Webster will come into the side.

Jacks was a left-field inclusion in England's Ashes squad and gets the opportunity to win a third Test cap despite focusing heavily on white-ball cricket in recent years.

The Surrey man has played only three first-class matches this year, taking five wickets in 74.1 overs.

"Everyone knows what a brilliant cricketer he is," said England batter and Jacks' Surrey team-mate Ollie Pope.

"The way he's grown over the last few years, we've seen his white-ball game really go forward. It's a great opportunity for his red-ball, too.

"He's obviously got that style of spin bowling where he can get some bounce and turn off the pitch, then everyone has seen the skills he's got in the white-ball format. He can take on a really good attack."

Jacks, who has 60 caps in white-ball cricket, is primarily a batting all-rounder but did claim six wickets on his Test debut against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2022.

Although day-night Tests are perceived to suit fast bowlers, Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon has a better average, economy rate and strike-rate bowling with a pink ball compared to the red.

Referring to the "tactical element" of day-night Tests, England captain Ben Stokes pointed to how Australia use Lyon.

"They play a lot of day-night cricket here," said Stokes.

"How they use their spinner as an attacking option, or more to get through the overs quicker to have more time with the new ball under lights - there's both those elements to consider."

England team for second Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.

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The Perth Test was Wood's first competitive match since February following knee surgery and the Durham fast bowler has since developed soreness in the same left knee.

Wood only bowled 11 overs in the two-day Test, and if England still need to rely on seam they have four options in Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson and Stokes.

While England can point to the all-round option Jacks brings in the unique day-night setting, being omitted is still a blow to Bashir.

This is the first time the 22-year-old has been left out when he is fit since being promoted to England's first-choice spinner at the beginning of the 2024 home summer.

Bashir has not played any competitive cricket since breaking his finger in the third Test against India in July. On that occasion he took the final wicket as England won a thrilling contest at Lord's.

He struggled in England's only Ashes warm-up match against England Lions, returning figures of 2-145 from 24 overs.

Bashir was in England's 12-man squad for the first Test and before that game coach Brendon McCullum said he expected the Somerset player to play a big role in the series.

However it is Jacks who now has the opportunity to cement his place in the side, particularly if England can level the series by winning at the Gabba for the first time since 1986.

England have not won any of their past 16 Tests in Australia, including three defeats in day-night matches.

Australia's only defeat in 14 floodlit Tests came at the Gabba, a shock loss to West Indies in 2024.

"We know they have a good record here but at the same time they certainly haven't been unbeatable here, as we've seen," said Pope.

"We'll use the crowd, we know the pitch conditions and we've played a few pink-ball games, too.

"It's just trying not to think too much about the history of it in terms of this venue and this ground, and making sure we put our skills forward."

The second Test starts at 04:00 GMT on Thursday, with live text coverage, Test Match Special commentary and in-play highlights on the BBC Sport website.

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