LISA STHALEKAR: Nathan Lyon should play in the second Ashes Test against England at the Gabba

The pundits have been calling loudly for Usman Khawaja to perform or go but there are also murmurs that Australia could make a big call and omit Nathan Lyon in his home Test at the Gabba.

It seems pretty ludicrous that selectors could consider dumping the veteran off-spinner even though he was hardly given a bowl in Perth and is often under-used in pink ball Tests.

Australia always like to have a frontline spinner in their side and while Beau Webster could bowl off-spin in his place or even Travis Head could bowl a few overs, Lyon is a staple of the team who should remain in the side.

Lyon has only missed a single Test match on home soil — at the WACA in 2012 — in his decorated 140-Test career.

In Australia’s last day-night Test match, Lyon was left out in Jamaica against the West Indies earlier this year.

Head coach Andrew McDonald stated recently that “it’s not something (leaving Lyon out) that we like doing”.

Data and the track record of the Duke pink ball on that pitch had suggested that spin wouldn’t play a big role. In the end it was proven correct, as the Test lasted two and a half days, with Mitchell Starc collecting 6-9 and Scott Boland claiming a hat-trick.

Even in the previous pink ball Test with the Kookaburra ball in Australia, Lyon bowled only one over.

If Australia pick Lyon and he isn’t used again, that means they are on top.

To take things one step further, he didn’t even bowl a single over in the last pink-ball Ashes Test in Australia.

As a former off-spinner, maybe I am a little biased, but I believe one of the reasons why Australia has a successful fast bowling cartel is down to the overs he bowls, the wickets he takes and the pressure he can apply. Lyon has taken 43 wickets at 25.62 in pink-ball Test matches.

All reports indicate that England aren’t backing away from trying Bazball the sequel on Thursday.

And with the pink ball expected to move around in humid conditions in Brisbane, especially during the dusk period and when the lights go on, I can see the argument of including Webster who could give you a little bit of both pace and spin, plus deepen your batting order.

However, experience counts in my book. While Lyon hasn’t been required in the last few pink ball Tests, he could be for this one if Steve Smith needs to change things up if the Poms get on top or he wants to change the pace of the game.

During Lyon’s last pink ball Test at the Gabba against the West Indies in 2024, he bowled 50 overs, with 28 coming in the first innings. Even in 2019 against Sri Lanka at the same venue he bowled 24.5 overs.

McDonald has mentioned that during the afternoon sessions the ball can get soft quickly, therefore having a world-class spinner in the mix enables you to be able to combat whatever is thrown at the Australians.

Former players Michael Clarke and Aaron Finch have doubled down stating that he is in their starting XI without question and that the notion of leaving out Lyon “should never be talked about”.

One Test into the Ashes Australia are ahead 1-0, so with their enviable 13-1 record in pink ball Tests they should keep the winning formula and not mess with something that has been tried and tested.

If Australia pick Lyon and he isn’t used again, that means they are on top. But if things get out of hand at least there is a different kind of bowler, who is extremely successful and can out-think the best batters in the business, ready to go.