The Australian squad is considering its options for team balance ahead of the third Test against the West Indies, with captain Pat Cummins not ruling out the prospect of leaving out veteran spinner Nathan Lyon. The selection is affected by the conditions at Sabina Park and the expected behaviour of the pink ball under lights.
Lyon, who missed three games of the 2023 Ashes due to a calf injury sustained at Lord’s, has not been left out of a Test XI since the 2013 series against England. His likely exclusion would represent a dramatic departure in Australia’s strategy, choosing an all-pace attack appropriate for the conditions.
Australia completed their final training session on Friday, which included a lengthy discussion on the pitch between Cummins, head coach Andrew McDonald, and visiting selector Tony Dodemaide. With Chair of Selectors George Bailey returning to Australia following the second Test, Cummins is anticipated to reveal the playing XI on the eve of the match, as he has done throughout the series.
“I believe everything is an option. We haven’t decided. We all left yesterday and decided to sleep on it, come back and look, and make a decision today [Saturday]. There are some additional unknowns. I believe it is primarily the pink ball and our attempt to understand what it will do. “That last session [under lights] may be a little longer than Adelaide,” Cummins commented, as quoted by.
Despite the uncertainty, Lyon’s recent form remains strong. He has taken nine wickets at an average of 18.33 this series, including six in Grenada, bringing his career tally to 562, just one wicket shy of equalling Glenn McGrath as Australia’s second-highest wicket-taker behind Shane Warne. In day-night Tests, Lyon boasts 43 wickets at 25.62, better than his red-ball average of 30.52.
However, in recent pink-ball Tests, Nathan Lyon has played a minimal role.
He bowled just one over in the day-night Test against India in Adelaide last season, and was not required at all against England in Hobart during the 2021–22 Ashes. The conditions at Sabina Park, combined with the behaviour of the Dukes ball under lights, could once again limit his role.
Scott Boland, who has taken 12 wickets at 16.75 in three day-night Tests, would be the likely addition. The all-rounder Beau Webster, who has featured as the fourth seamer throughout this series, also provides off-spin as a part-time option alongside Travis Head. The tourists may even consider bolstering their batting line-up if they look for three frontline quicks plus Webster, sufficient for the bowling workload.
This selection call comes at a significant moment, as Mitchell Starc prepares to play his 100th Test match. The New South Wales bowler spoke of the strong bond he shares with Lyon, Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, his fellow NSWites. Despite that camaraderie, Cummins made it clear that any changes to the XI would be made in the team’s best interest and did not expect any negative reactions from within the squad.
“We’ve spent a lot of time together. So to play with a lot of really close mates, to play with a lot of really good people around the staff and the playing group has been really special,” Starc said.
“I mean, it’s all hypothetical here. I think everyone here has a pretty good track record of doing whatever the team needs and being really excited for the guys that play,” said Cummins.
The wicket has grass, it will offer some spin: WI skipper Chase
West Indies captain Roston Chase has acknowledged that one of the key selection decisions ahead of the third Test against Australia is whether to bring back specialist spinner Jomel Warrican, who was left out of the playing XI in Grenada.
“I think the wicket will offer some spin as well. It has a bit of grass on it, but I think the groundsman said he might shave off a bit. So still yet to see what the final surface will look like, but it looks pretty hard. I mean, the practice wickets look similar, so the ball has been doing a bit in the practice session. Looks like a good cricket wicket,” said Chase.
India
