Weight of history against England in pink-ball Gabba Ashes Test

Brisbane: England head into Thursday's day-night second Ashes Test against pink-ball masters Australia needing a rare victory at Brisbane's Gabba to get back into the five-match series.

Travis Head's whirlwind century as a makeshift opener carried Australia to an eight-wicket victory inside two days in Perth as they went 1-0 up.

The hosts are again without captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood, leaving swing king Mitchell Starc, who is expected to be a force in humid Brisbane under lights, to carry the attack.

England, who capitulated in four frantic hours in Perth from a winning position, cannot afford to slip 2-0 down with three matches to play if they are to have realistic hopes of regaining the urn. 

They will be without their own pace spearhead, Mark Wood, who is nursing a knee injury. 

He was replaced by off-spinner Will Jacks, who will bolster the batting, in an otherwise unchanged team named Tuesday.

Captain Ben Stokes says England have moved on from Perth and are not scarred by past results but they face a formidable weight of history in Brisbane, where they have been holding extra training sessions this week.

England have not won a Test in Australia since their 2010-11 tour, losing 14 and drawing two.

Moreover, they have not triumphed at the Gabba for 39 years and have lost all three previous day-nighters against the hosts.

Day-night specialists

Australia thrive under lights, winning 13 of the 14 pink-ball Tests they have played worldwide, but England will take encouragement from the sole defeat coming at the Gabba against the West Indies a year ago.

"On an evening it does seem to do a little bit more, especially if you have a slightly newer ball," said England fast bowler Brydon Carse after a night session in the nets on Tuesday.

Steve Smith captains Australia, who must decide how to fill the opening slot vacated by Usman Khawaja who was ruled out Tuesday after failing to recover from back spasms suffered in Perth.

Head is likely to again move up alongside Jake Weatherald, with seaming all-rounder Beau Webster coming into the side at number six with Cameron Green moving up to five.

Marnus Labuschagne filled in as an opener for Khawaja in the first innings at Perth.

"It's just game-by-game, and you work out what's your best team and how does it best work for the game," said Labuschagne.

Australia also have the option of bringing in Josh Inglis to open, leaving Head at number five where he would not have to face a new pink ball under lights.

Head, who stunned England with a match-winning 123 from 83 balls, said he would be ready to move up again, adding that fixed batting orders were "slightly overrated".

"The traditionalists will say that's how it's got to be," Head said. 

"It's ever evolving and we'll see where we get to. I feel I can play in any role."

Australia squad: Steve Smith (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England team: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer