England were left with a tricky decision over whether to replace Mark Wood with pace or spin for Thursday’s second Ashes Test at the Gabba. All three of Josh Tongue, Will Jacks and Shoaib Bashir remained in contention on Monday evening.
England may revert to their preferred method of naming their team early this week, with a Tuesday announcement possible.
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Wood has a knee injury that is heavily strapped and leaves him in a race against time to be ready for the third Test at Adelaide on December 17. The Boxing Day Test may be a more realistic return date for the veteran quick, who bowled just 11 overs in Perth after almost nine months out injured.
With a green-looking surface, England may be tempted to hit Australia with an all-pace attack again at the Gabba. However, the day/night factor may see them lean towards spin: the pink ball is known to go very soft after around 20 to 25 overs, which could mean periods of the game are easier for batting.
Telegraph Sport runs the rule over the three options:
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Josh Tongue
The obvious like-for-like replacement, who was unlucky to miss out in Perth. Tongue went to Canberra to play for the Lions and got through 16 wicketless overs. On Monday evening, having just got off a flight to Brisbane, he did not bowl at training, where he was largely a spectator. Has the pace to trouble Australia, and dismissed Steve Smith in both innings at Lord’s in 2023, his only Ashes appearance to date. He would also like the look of a pitch that is expected to have plenty of grass on it.
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Will Jacks
Jacks is the halfway house, a player who can offer some flighted off-spin, while adding ballast to the lower order batting. Jacks has played only two Tests, three years ago in Pakistan, and was a surprise pick for this tour. But he is a useful, adaptable cricketer. It is felt that spin is a necessary part of an XI in pink-ball Tests, but it is unknown how much they will actually be used. If the spinner is not required much, it makes sense for them to be able to bat, and chip in with both disciplines. Jamie Smith would certainly welcome a recognised batsman behind him.
Shoaib Bashir
Bashir has been England’s pet project. They have invested in him heavily to ape the role played by Nathan Lyon for Australia: a tall, bouncy off-spinner. Bashir picked up an injury in the third Test against India in the summer and has not been seen since. He is a better spinner than Jacks, and if this was not a pink-ball game, he would almost certainly play. But his limited batting means he could be a passenger, bringing Jacks into the equation. Bashir and Jacks had a long bowl at captain Ben Stokes today; could he have been making a final call?
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Verdict
A tricky one. If Wood was fit, England would almost certainly have been unchanged. But their best method in this series remains to hit Australia with pace and, with grass on the wicket, it is worth backing Tongue, who finished the summer very well. If the surface really demands a spinner, go for Jacks.
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