You’re absolutely right, of course. Nathan Lyon bowled just two paltry overs against England in Perth.
Twelve months ago he sent down even less, registering a solitary over in the pink ball Test against India in Adelaide.
The last time Australia and England met under lights in a day-night Test match, Hobart in 2021, the man they call ‘Gary’ didn’t bowl at all. Not one ball.
Even worse, he was dropped altogether for Australia’s most recent day-night Test in the West Indies last July.
Yet despite Lyon playing little or no role in any of these matches, the history books confirm Australia still comfortably won them all—which brings us to the Gabba in just over a week’s time.
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Given the sublime First Test performance of Mitchell Starc, who also happens to be the world’s most successful pink ball bowler of all-time, plenty are currently suggesting Australia’s greatest off-spinner may be surplus to requirements for the Second Test in Brisbane.
Specifically, Lyon seems at some risk of being left out of the XI to accomodate the return of Pat Cummins, the addition of Beau Webster—or potentially both.
Even Australian coach Andrew McDonald has refused to assure the 38-year-old of his place.
However a quick check of the aforementioned history books suggests reason for selection caution, and it has nothing to do with showing loyalty to an ageing Aussie great.
The last time Brisbane hosted a day-night Test remains the only time Australia has lost with a pink ball. As in ever.
Beaten narrowly by the West Indies in January of 2024, that Test was played in oppressively hot and humid Gabba conditions that saw Australia resort to using eight different bowlers in the first innings alone.
Unlike most pink ball Tests on these shores, the Australian pacemen did not rip through the West Indian batting like a hot knife though butter.
Rather the match went into a fourth day—something of a novelty by current standards—and by the end of it Lyon had been called upon to bowl no less than fifty overs, taking five valuable wickets along the way.
Imagine what may have happened had he not been there, or if a similar scenario unfolds in the Second Test should the English batsmen finally choose to place a higher price on their wicket.
Fifty overs is a lot of bowling to expect from part-time tweakers such as Labuschagne and Head who surely are best left to focus on their batting, especially in the midst of a stifling south-east Queensland summer.
Maybe Starc will run riot once again and spin won’t be needed. But maybe he won’t.
To state the bleeding obvious, Brisbane is not Perth, Hobart or even Adelaide.
Nathan Lyon really must play.