Australia spinner Nathan Lyon made no secret of his disappointment at being dropped for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, saying he felt “filthy” and was “gutted” at the decision.
Lyon has 562 Test wickets, putting him seventh all-time in the format, while he’s third among Australians, trailing only the legendary Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563), who he is only one wicket behind.
Yet, the off-spinner was dropped for his first home Test since 2012, with Michael Neser picked ahead of him in an all-pace attack for the day-night contest at The Gabba.
“Absolutely filthy,” Lyon said in an interview with Australia’s host broadcaster Seven Network during day one.
“But yeah, I can’t do anything about it, so I hope I can play my role in making sure I get the guys ready and do whatever I can to make sure that we get the right result here.”
Lyon, who has a stellar record in pink-ball Tests, with 43 wickets from 13 matches at an average of 25.62, and who averages 28.82 in Tests at The Gabba, said he had yet to discuss the decision to drop him with selectors.
“I just hadn’t had it in me to sit down with the coach [Andrew McDonald] and George [Bailey – selectors’ chair] at the moment,” he added.
“That will happen. I’m not the first player to miss a Test match and I won’t be the last.
“But, yeah, I’m obviously pretty gutted because I know the role that I can play within Australian cricket and especially at a venue like this.”
England went on to close day one in Brisbane on 325-9, an innings dominated by Joe Root (135no), who remained unbeaten at stumps after notching his first Test century in Australia.
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Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain reflect on a great day of cricket for Joe Root as he scores his first Test hundred in Australia
Mitchell Starc again impressed for Australia, claiming 6-71 to take his series tally to a staggering 16 wickets already, but the other four seamers – Scott Boland (1-87), Neser (1-43), Brendan Doggett (0-76) and Cameron Green (0-43) – added only two wickets from their 55 overs combined.
“I was amazed they left out Nathan Lyon today,” Michael Atherton said on Sky Sports Cricket’s ‘Ashes Daily’ Podcast.
“He’s got 562 [Test] wickets, and it’s a pitch that everybody said looked much drier and less green than it had yesterday.
“It’s a pitch where England thought, ‘well, we need a spinner’, and yet Australia are leaving Lyon out.
“I thought there were times when it looked just an okay Australian attack plus Mitchell Starc.”
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26
All times UK and Ireland
First Test (Perth): Australia beat England by eight wicketsSecond Test (day/night): Thursday December 4 – Monday December 8 (4am) – The Gabba, BrisbaneThird Test: Wednesday December 17 – Sunday December 21 (11.30pm) – Adelaide OvalFourth Test: Thursday December 25 – Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket GroundFifth Test: Sunday January 4 – Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground
