Cummins conundrum is key as Australia try not to overthink tactics

"At last, at long last, an Ashes series is about to start. It feels that way, anyway, after so many months of lead-up, such an eternal blur of preview and prediction and preamble, were supposed to reach their end only to find that the end was instead a momentary interruption, a hiccup, an indigestion-dream of a Test from Perth, a contest done in the span of 31 hours, leaving everyone to return to punditry and prognostication for a further 11 blasted and benighted days."

"We are, for pity's sake, in a discussion cycle about Ben Stokes correctly applying a bike helmet while not on a bike, or Steve Smith correctly applying eye-black stickers in his Tim Tebow tribute act, or the archaeologically uncovered fact that Australian teams have a good record at the Gabba. Like farmers waiting for the rains, we are praying for play to start to let us talk about something that has happened, rather than something that might."

"England confirmed their team well in advance with an interesting call, deciding that the best way to improve a side whose reckless batting imploded is by including a top-order T20 smasher at No 8 because he might bowl a few overs of spin that they do not think they need. But just at the moment when anyone observing this series felt that there was literally nothing left to talk about, Australia will now wait until the toss"

"The call is whether to include the regular captain Pat Cummins as part of a dizzying game of three-card monte that selectors have been playing with the squad in recent days. Usman Khawaja was included in that squad despite recent injury, then ruled out because of the same injury. Cummins was ruled out because of recent injury, and may come into the XI despite not being in the squad. The possible knock-on effects of both are convoluted."

Months of buildup produced endless preview, prediction and preamble, culminating in a brief, 31-hour Test in Perth that prolonged punditry for eleven more days. Conversations have focused on trivialities like helmet use, eye-black stickers, and Australian records at the Gabba rather than on match events. England announced an unconventional XI early, promoting a T20-style top-order hitter to No 8 for potential part-time spin despite batting concerns. Australia delayed a selection gamble until the toss by considering whether to include injured captain Pat Cummins, after Usman Khawaja's inclusion and subsequent withdrawal due to injury created complex knock-on effects.

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