Ashes 2025, AUS vs ENG: 5 Key Talking Points from Day 2 of Pink-Ball Test at the Gabba

Day 2 of the Pink-Ball Test of the ongoing Ashes 2025 series was dominated by the hosts, Australia, putting England on the back foot at the Gabba in Brisbane on Friday, December 5.

At the end of Day 2, Australia posted a total of 378/6, with Alex Carey and Michael Neser batting on 46 and 15, respectively, and took a 44-run lead over England’s first-innings total of 334, leaving the visitors under pressure heading into Day 3. For England, Brydon Carse led the attack with figures of 3/117, while Ben Stokes (2/93) and Jofra Archer (1/74) also chipped in with wickets.

Let’s take a look at key takeaways from Day 2 of the Pink-Ball Test.

Jake Weatherald did not have an ideal start to his Test debut, dismissed for 0 and 23 in both innings of the Ashes series opener at the Optus Stadium in Perth. He was selected over Sam Konstas for the ongoing Ashes 2025. Following a poor start to his Test debut, Weatherald made a brilliant comeback in the Pink-Ball Test at the Gabba.

Opening with Travis Head, Jake Weatherald was more of an aggressor than a traditional anchor, taking on England's new-ball bowlers with fearless shots and positive intent, scoring a brisk 72 off 78 balls, including 12 fours and a six, helping Australia post a strong platform and putting England on the back foot early in the innings.

Jofra Archer was the standout bowler for England on Day 2, as he put Australia's batters under sustained pressure with his barrage of high-pitched deliveries throughout the innings. The likes ofTravis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Cameron Green were struggling to get going against his pace and bounce, with Archer consistently hitting the deck hard and extracting seam movement.

His yorker delivery that dismissed Jake Weatherald left the batter completely beaten, showcasing England pacer’s lethal accuracy and raw pace underlights. Jofra Archer’s final figures of the day, 1/74, underscore the pressure he created. However, Archer’s spell was not much rewarded as two dropped catches denied him additional wickets, keeping Australia’s total healthy despite his fiery efforts.

Australia's top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne was at his best as he played a composed knock of 65 off 83 balls, steadying the hosts’ first-innings batting. When Jake Weatherald was playing with an aggressive approach, Labuschagne anchored the innings with patience, rotating the strike, and punishing any loose deliveries, ensuring Australia maintained stability under the pressure of Jofra Archer’s fiery spell.

With his composed 65-run knock, Marnus Labuschagne has completed 1000 runs in a Pink-Ball Test, making him the first batter to achieve this feat. In his Pink-Ball career, he amassed 1023 runs, including 4 centuries and 5 fifties, at an average of 63.93 in 10 matches.

England bowlers were putting in their effort, but many slipped chances and misfields, especially in the outfield, allowed Australia to build crucial partnerships, putting the pressure back on the bowlers. A total of five catches were dropped by the England fielders, allowing Australia to cash in on their mistakes, which significantly aided the hosts to take a lead of 44 runs and put them in a commanding position.

Ben Duckett had the night to forget on the field as he dropped two out of England’s catches, one each of Alex Carey and Josh Inglis, which allowed Australia’s lower order to survive and added crucial runs to their total.

Steve Smith and Cameron Green stabilised Australia’s batting with a 95-run stand for the fourth wicket before the latter’s dismissal for 45 at 291/4. Thereafter, Smith followed Green to the dressing room after he was dismissed for 61 at 292/5. With two crucial wickets, it appeared that the momentum began to tilt in England’s favour. However, Alex Carey and Josh Inglis put the pressure back on the visitors.

The pair formed a 37-run stand for the sixth wicket before Inglis’s dismissal at 329/6. Thereafter, Carey stitched an unbeaten 49-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Michael Neser, helping Australia extend their total and frustrate England’s bowlers with crucial lower-order resistance.