Pat Cummins has provided perhaps the biggest indication that he’s on track to return for the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, training with a pink Kookaburra in Sydney on Tuesday.

The wounded Australian captain, who missed the series opener in Perth due to a lower back complaint, was spotted bowling in the nets at Silverwater’s Cricket Central, getting himself reacquainted with the pink ball.

Speaking to Fox Cricket on Saturday, Cummins declared he was a “half-chance” of playing the day-night Test in Brisbane, while Australian coach Andrew McDonald said Tuesday’s training session would help determine the 32-year-old’s availability for the second match against England.

“We’ll get more information tomorrow on what that looks like,” McDonald told reporters on Monday.

“Once we see him, we’ll be able to then join the dots as to what that potentially looks like.”

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Pat Cummins bowls during a practice session at Cricket Central. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Meanwhile, fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood also rolled the arm over at Cricket Central – albeit with a red Kookaburra – as he continues to recover from a hamstring strain that ruled him out of the Perth Test. It’s the first time he’s been seen bowling since he sustained the injury during a Sheffield Shield at the SCG.

McDonald denied reports the 34-year-old would not be available for the entire Ashes campaign, telling reporters he’ll be available “at some point during the series”. However, he stopped short of outlining a rehabilitation plan for the right-armer.

“We’ve got a little bit of that early rehab to go through to formulate where he might plug into the series, but we expect him to take some part in the series,” McDonald said.

Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Cummins, arguably Australia’s greatest fast bowler since Glenn McGrath, has taken 43 wickets at 17.34 in pink-ball Tests, including career-best figures of 6-23 against Sri Lanka at the Gabba in 2019. If the New South Welshman returns to the starting XI, Perth debutant Brendan Doggett would most likely be the unlucky player to miss out.

The second Ashes Test between Australia and England gets underway at the Gabba on December 4.