Australian pace bowler Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the Ashes series with hamstring and Achilles injuries.

Hazlewood missed Australia’s two eight-wickets wins over England in Perth and Brisbane but had been expected to return later in the five-match series.

Australia coach Andrew McDonald on Tuesday (December 9, 2025) said the veteran paceman would now be targeting a return for the Twenty20 World Cup early next year.

“He’ll be out of the series and his preparation will then shift toward the World Cup, which is an incredibly important campaign for us,” McDonald said.

“It’s really flat for him. A couple of setbacks we didn’t see coming — we thought he’d play a huge part in the series.”

Hazlewood has been a key member of Australia’s regular bowling attack for a decade.

There was better news for skipper Pat Cummins, who is expected to return for the third test in Adelaide starting Dec. 17 after missing the first two tests while he recovers from a back problem.

The 32-year-old paceman increased his training workload at Allan Border Field in Brisbane while the Australians were playing the second test against England at the Gabba.

He is set to be recalled as captain when the match squad is announced Wednesday. Steve Smith has been leading the Australia XI in the absence of Cummins.

“We feel as though he’ll be as best prepared as can be,” McDonald said. “Us seeing him further advanced, we feel he’ll be really well placed for the challenges of Adelaide.

“We feel as though the simulation in the nets has got him skill ready. His body’s ready to go. Barring anything else happening in the next week, I’d be expecting Pat to be tossing the coin and putting the blazer on.” The under-fire England squad, which needs a win in Adelaide to have any chance of reclaiming the Ashes, is taking a few days out this week to rest and relax at one of Australia’s iconic beach towns.

The fourth test starts Boxing Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney will host the fifth test from Jan. 4. England hasn’t won an Ashes test in Australia since the 2010-11 series.

Mitchell Starc, the only regular member of the Australian attack involved in the first two tests, is the leading bowler in the series so far with 18 wickets and has won back-to-back man-of-the-match awards. (AP) PDS PDS

Coach Brendon McCullum urged England fans to “keep the faith” and said there would be no change in approach after their humiliating capitulation in the first Ashes Test in Perth.

England suffered an eight-wicket defeat inside two days after their cavalier attacking game, dubbed “Bazball” after the coach’s nickname, backfired.

Batting collapses coupled with Travis Head’s sensational 69-ball century condemned England to yet another defeat in Australia.

It left the visitors facing an uphill task to regain the Ashes with four Tests still to go, the second a day-night match in Brisbane on December 4.

England were savaged back home following the defeat on Saturday (November 22, 2025).

“Keep the faith,” the New Zealander McCullum said, asked by reporters what his message would be to England fans.

“Sometimes we get beaten and it looks pretty ugly, but there are times when having that type of mentality allows us to still believe in our abilities when we step out to play.

“There are times we don’t get it right, but we have to believe in what we believe in because it gives us the best chance.

“Just because we are one down in the series doesn’t change what we believe in.

“We have to stay calm, stay together, and plot our way back into this series, as we have done before.”

Since last claiming an Ashes series in Australia 15 years ago, England have now lost 14 Tests, drawn two and won none in Australia.

They had a perfect opportunity in Perth to snap the dire streak and earn a psychological advantage heading into the pink-ball encounter in Brisbane.

But after reaching 160-5 the tourists lost five wickets for 12 runs to be bowled out for 172 on day one before regaining the advantage after dismissing Australia for 132.

They were on track for a big lead after reaching 65-1 in their second innings, but again threw away five wickets in quick succession to leave Australia chasing 205, which they achieved with ease.

Travis Head may have batted himself into a permanent role as Australian opener after his swashbuckling 123 against England, casting doubt on the future of an ageing Usman Khawaja.

The 38-year-old Khawaja failed to open in either innings in Perth because of back spasms, paving the way for Head to seize the opportunity with all guns blazing.

His 123 from just 83 balls drove Australia to a crushing eight-wicket victory, with the knock hailed as one of the best in Ashes history by skipper Steve Smith.

Australia have been searching for a new opener since David Warner retired early last year with Khawaja going through six different partners.

Debutant Jake Weatherald got the nod for Perth.

But instead of striding out alongside Khawaja he padded up with Marnus Labuschange in the first innings then Head, promoted from number five in the order, in the second.

Weatherald fell for a second-ball duck first up, but did enough with a composed 23 alongside Head to warrant another crack in the second Test at Brisbane.

What happens next with an out-of-form Khawaja remains to be seen, with Smith non-committal when asked if his days were numbered.

“Let’s just digest this first I think, you know the last couple of hours has been pretty incredible,” he said after the game.

“It’s probably too early to say anything on that.

“He’s not moving particularly well in there, the old fella,” he added.

“Unfortunately he just pulled up a bit lame early on in the game, and that happens when your back goes.

“I’ve been there myself when your back seizes up, and it’s not a nice place to be.”

Khawaja came under fire for playing golf on the eve of the Test, although Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg stressed the back problem was pre-existing.

Head said opening for Australia at home had been “brewing for a bit”, having done the job several times on overseas tours.

“Played a lot of cricket with Jake (for South Australia), so I was pretty keen to take some pressure off him. I just felt like the moment was right,” he said.

“I was pretty bullish around the fact that I felt like I could do it. I’m always putting my hand up.

“I’m not going really aggressive at it, but I put my hand up. If the team requires it, I’m more than happy to do it and keep the option there.”