‘Everything’s an option’: Australia mulling shock Lyon call for pink ball Test against West Indies

Kingston: Australia haven’t settled on their XI for the final Test against the West Indies in Jamaica as skipper Pat Cummins revealed “all options” are being considered, including leaving spinner Nathan Lyon out of the side.

In the previous two Tests in Barbados and Grenada, Cummins has unveiled Australia’s XI at his mandatory pre-match press conference 24 hours out from the Test.

But ahead of a day-night pink ball fixture at Sabina Park, starting on Saturday (Sunday 4.30am AEST), Cummins said Australia would take more time to decide and make sure the team had the right balance.

“[There are] a few more unknowns, so we just want to have another look at the wicket and give it a bit of time and work out a team later on today,” Cummins told reporters.

“I think mainly pink ball [is a consideration] and trying to get our heads around exactly what it’s going to do.

“That last session [under lights] might be a little bit longer than Adelaide.”

Asked if that meant Lyon might not play, Cummins replied: “I mean, yeah, I think everything’s an option.

“We honestly haven’t settled on it. We all left yesterday and thought we’d just sleep on it, come back and have a look and make up our mind today.”

Given Australia won the last two Tests comfortably, it is more likely the visitors will stick with an unchanged XI.

If Australia did make a big call and drop Lyon in preference of four quicks, it would be a tough blow for the spinner in Mitchell Starc’s 100th Test.

Lyon is coming off match figures of 6-117 in Grenada and boasts a better Test bowling average in pink ball matches (25.62) compared with red ball games (30.52).

However, Lyon bowled just one over in Australia’s last pink ball fixture in December against India at the Adelaide Oval.

Scott Boland would be the obvious replacement to come into the Australian XI if Lyon missed out, alongside Cummins, Starc and Josh Hazlewood, with Beau Webster also able to bowl seam and spin.

The last time Australia overlooked Lyon for a Test was during the 2013 Ashes.

Cummins was asked how someone like Lyon would take the news if he was left out of the XI.

“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,” Cummins said.

This is Australia’s first overseas pink ball Test.

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