Australia deny playing games over Cummins fitness

Australia were not playing games with England over the availability of captain Pat Cummins before the second Test, says selector George Bailey.

Fast bowler Cummins is recovering from a back injury and though he was not included in their squad for the second in Brisbane, the hosts left the door open for a late inclusion on the eve of the match.

The 32-year-old was seen in conversation and sharing an embrace with coach Andrew McDonald on Thursday, leading to speculation he could return.

"Once we got up here, saw his training, got as much of the background medical information as well, it became a live possibility," Bailey said.

"Then it was just working through the permutations of what would that look like in terms of the amount of overs, what would it look like going forward from that as well.

"I don't think we thought he was going to be as close, it really changed through the week. Then risk tolerance became the conversation around what could he take on."