Australia’s legendary spinner was out of the playing XI. (Photo-PTI)
The World Test Championship (WTC) is playing the third and last Test match in Kingston against the West Indies, running at the top of the Point Table of 2025-27. The visiting team has already captured the series 2–0. Batting before the first day of this day-night Test match, the first innings of the Australian team was reduced to only 225 runs. By the end of the first day’s play, the hosts have scored 16 runs for one wicket. During this Test match, when the playing XI of Australia came to the fore, one such name was missing in it, which was an important part of this team’s playing XI for the last 12 years. He was not out of Australia’s Test team since 2013, but veteran spinner Nathan Lion has been excluded from the playing XI in the last Test match against the West Indies.
Why Lion out of playing XI?
The third Test match against the West Indies is being played with pink ball. This day-night test match is being played at Sabina Park, where fast bowlers get a lot of help. Its view has been seen on the first day. Perhaps this is why Captain Pat Cummins has included fast bowler Scott Bolland in the playing XI in place of veteran spinner Nathan Lion.
Lion was part of the playing XI of Australia’s Test team for the last 12 years. He was last out of playing XI during the Ashes series in 2013 against England. Although he did not play three matches during the Ashes series in the year 2023, but he was injured at that time. He has been a part of playing XI since 2013 while staying fit. However, Nathan Lion’s record in the day-night Test match is quite good.
Lion’s performance of a day-night test match
Australian veteran spinner Nathan Lion has taken 43 wickets in day-night Test matches so far. In the last two Tests against the West Indies, Lion took 9 wickets. He took 6 wickets in the second Test match, while in the first Test match he got three wickets.
Nathan Lion has played 139 Test matches so far. In its 259 innings, he has taken 562 wickets at an average of 30.14. He is only one wicket behind Glenn McGrag. If they take one more wicket and then they will jointly reach second place with McGrag in terms of taking the most wickets in the Test match of Australia. Former Australian veteran spinner Shane Warne is at the top of this list.
