12 Jul, 2025 | 06:13 AM

Australia captain Pat Cummins has hinted that veteran spinner Nathan Lyon could be left out of the playing XI for the upcoming day-night Test against West Indies at Sabina Park — a potential first since 2013 for the offspinner, barring injury absences.

The match, which marks Australia's first pink-ball Test away from home, has presented several selection challenges. The pitch conditions and the behaviour of the pink ball remain key uncertainties, prompting Cummins to delay the final decision on team selection.

“I think everything's an option,” Cummins said. “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.”

Lyon has played in every Test since the 2013 Ashes — aside from three missed due to a calf injury in 2023 — and remains a key figure in Australia's bowling unit. Even in this pace-heavy series, he has claimed nine wickets at an average of 18.33, including a six-wicket haul in Grenada, bringing his career tally to 562 — just one short of equalling Glenn McGrath's mark for second-most Test wickets by an Australian.

While Lyon has a strong overall record in day-night Tests (43 wickets at 25.62), he has been underutilised in some recent pink-ball games — bowling only once against India in Adelaide last year and not at all in Hobart against England during the 2021-22 Ashes.

With conditions likely to favour seam bowling, Scott Boland is the leading contender to come into the side. Boland has an excellent pink-ball record, taking 12 wickets at 16.75 in three day-night Tests. Allrounder Beau Webster, who offers medium pace and part-time offspin, could continue as the fourth seamer, supported by Travis Head’s occasional spin.

A longer final session under lights, typical of pink-ball matches, adds to the intrigue. “There are a few more unknowns,” Cummins noted. “That last session [under lights] might be a little bit longer than Adelaide.”

The decision would be especially notable with Mitchell Starc set to play his 100th Test. Starc, along with Lyon, Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, forms the core of Australia's long-standing pace-spin unit.

“We’ve spent a lot of time together,” Starc said of his NSW teammates. “So to play with a lot of really close mates… has been really special.”

Despite the potential shake-up, Cummins played down any suggestion of discord, adding, “I think everyone here has a pretty good track record of doing whatever the team needs.”

West Indies captain Roston Chase, meanwhile, revealed his own team is also considering bringing back spinner Jomel Warrican, suggesting the Sabina Park pitch could assist spin. “It has a bit of grass on it, but I think the groundsman said he might shave off a bit,” Chase said. “The ball has been doing a bit in the practice session. Looks like a good cricket wicket.”

With both sides yet to finalise their line-ups and several unknowns in play, the selection decisions in Jamaica could shape a pivotal pink-ball Test in this intriguing series.