England's players will undergo extra training sessions ahead of the second Ashes Test against Australia at Brisbane's Gabba, following their thrashing in the first test. The team has planned a five-day build-up to the day-night match, which begins on Thursday.
The squad was expected to take just three days off between the Perth and Brisbane tests, but England's decision not to send any of the players from the first Test to play in an England Lions match in Canberra has come under scrutiny. The team is instead focusing on preparing for the Gabba pitch, where they have struggled in the past.
England usually trains for two or three days before a Test, with captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum taking a more traditional approach than some of their predecessors. However, after being beaten inside two days in Perth, England's players will get an extended period to prepare for the second match.
The team has also arranged extra training sessions at the Gabba on Sunday and Saturday, with two of those sessions taking place under floodlights. The squad will have several hours off before resuming training on Saturday.
England's poor record in day-night Tests is a concern, having won just two of their previous seven matches, including three defeats in Australia. Meanwhile, Australia has excelled in pink-ball matches, winning 13 of their last 14, with the only exception being an eight-run victory for West Indies in Brisbane in January 2024.
The Perth pitch on which England suffered a thrashing was rated as "very good" by the International Cricket Council, indicating that it had plenty of carry and bounce. However, Australia's captain Pat Cummins could return for the second Test after missing the first match due to a back injury.
The squad was expected to take just three days off between the Perth and Brisbane tests, but England's decision not to send any of the players from the first Test to play in an England Lions match in Canberra has come under scrutiny. The team is instead focusing on preparing for the Gabba pitch, where they have struggled in the past.
England usually trains for two or three days before a Test, with captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum taking a more traditional approach than some of their predecessors. However, after being beaten inside two days in Perth, England's players will get an extended period to prepare for the second match.
The team has also arranged extra training sessions at the Gabba on Sunday and Saturday, with two of those sessions taking place under floodlights. The squad will have several hours off before resuming training on Saturday.
England's poor record in day-night Tests is a concern, having won just two of their previous seven matches, including three defeats in Australia. Meanwhile, Australia has excelled in pink-ball matches, winning 13 of their last 14, with the only exception being an eight-run victory for West Indies in Brisbane in January 2024.
The Perth pitch on which England suffered a thrashing was rated as "very good" by the International Cricket Council, indicating that it had plenty of carry and bounce. However, Australia's captain Pat Cummins could return for the second Test after missing the first match due to a back injury.
... I mean, they got thrashed in the first one so you'd think they need that extra time, right? But on the other hand, it's also a risk of overtraining and not being fresh for the match. Ben Stokes & Brendon McCullum seem to be going with the traditional approach which might work but can England really turn things around considering their poor record in day-night Tests? 
. And what's with not sending any of those players from the first test to play in an England Lions match? Is that supposed to help them regain some confidence or something? 
. England's record in those matches is pretty dismal, so I'm not sure if more training sessions are going to magically fix this problem 
.
. Otherwise, it just seems like they're trying to paper over the cracks rather than actually fixing their game 
.
seriously tho, why do they need 5 days of prep when they could just bring the squad together and train already? its not like they can practice forever, gotta get some rest too 
and what's with the gabba pitch, england always struggles there 
. australia on the other hand is all about that day-night test life 
. And now, with extra training sessions and a longer build-up period, it's like they're setting themselves up for failure 
. I'm not saying England is going to lose, but I am saying there's definitely some hidden agenda at play here 
they've been thrashed in the 1st test and now they're gonna have extra training sessions to get ready for the next one? like, i get it, but it feels like too much pressure on those guys already 
can england turn it around? i hope so! 
you guys, I'm actually kinda impressed with England's decision to give their players an extra 2 days off before the 2nd test... yeah, they got thrashed in the first one 
but I think it shows they're being responsible and not taking unnecessary risks. And hey, having some extra training sessions at the Gabba sounds like a solid plan 
that's actually really smart thinking from Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum... maybe they'll be able to turn things around in Brisbane 
It's like a puzzle and I'm curious to see if they can crack it.
. And what about Australia's captain Pat Cummins, is he gonna come back for the second Test? 
. And don't even get me started on Ben Stokes' batting form... or lack thereof 
.
And with Pat Cummins potentially returning, it's gonna be tough for England to take them down.