Australia strongly considers dumping Nathan Lyon for pink-ball Test against West Indies

West Australian

12-07-2025

Australia
is on the verge of dropping a bombshell axe on veteran spinner Nathan Lyon for the third
Test in Kingston
.
The wicket at Sabina Park has been described as grassy and 'greenish', and Aussie selectors are considering an extra seam bowler for the pink-ball Test.
Pacemen Scott Boland or Sean Abbott could come into the Aussie XI, or Josh Inglis could be called on to strengthen the batting line-up which would mean allrounder Beau Webster would be used as the fourth bowler.
The Test begins on Sunday morning (AEST), and, hours out from the first ball, captain Pat Cummins has refused to shed light on the fabric of team when facing media.
'(We're) trying to still get our heads around exactly what (the pink ball is) going to do,' Cummins said.
'We've had two sessions here again see how the pitch looks.
'You know, (we're) still 30 or 24 hours out, so yeah, really just trying to get our heads around it and kind of have another day to think about it.'
Pressed on whether the 37-year-old Lyon would be dumped, Cummins said it was certainly an option.
'I think everything's an option, so yeah, we haven't settled,' he said.
The looming decision comes not long after Lyon called time on his role as the Australian 'songmaster' (the conductor of the victory song).
Ahead of the second Test in the West Indies, Lyon handed over the songmaster duties to Alex Carey, but insisted it was not his first step to retirement.
'It definitely doesn't mean I'm retiring anytime soon,' he said.
'It's more about the team environment, making sure that I get the opportunity to pass it on to someone who I look at and absolutely love in the way he goes about it on and off the field and I just feel like Alex is the perfect candidate.
'I ran my race with it, and it's time for someone else to put their touch on it.'
Lyon said he believed Carey — who was the stand-in songmaster in 2023 when Lyon was injured during the Ashes — was the ideal candidate.
And Carey will follow in the footsteps of other champion wicket-keepers and spiritual leaders such as Rod Marsh and Ian Healy.
Greats such as Allan Border, Ricky Ponting, and Justin Langer have also held the role.
'I've always said I want to win away in India. I want to win away in England,' Lyon said at the time.
'We've got that opportunity in a couple of years' time, but we've also got to take it Test by Test and make sure that we're doing everything here in West Indies right.
'Then we've got a massive summer at home with the Ashes.
'But another World Test Championship final would be on my cards for sure.'