Subhechcha Ganguly 
Nathan Lyon has expressed his surprise at seeing Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja left out of India’s playing XI for the Perth Test, and is equally puzzled that they are likely to miss the second Test in Adelaide as well. Lyon, widely regarded as one of the best Test spinners in the world, acknowledges the strength of India’s squad but finds it remarkable that such quality players are being benched. He pointed out that the omission of Ashwin and Jadeja highlights the depth within India’s team. While Lyon continues to be a regular fixture in Australia’s lineup, both at home and overseas, Ashwin faces challenges in SENA nations. For the Perth Test, Ashwin and Jadeja were replaced by Washington Sundar, and indications suggest that their exclusion will persist for the upcoming day-night Test. Lyon finds it intriguing that neither spinner may feature in the pink-ball Test or the following matches in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, although he understands India’s reasoning behind the decision.
“More than surprised,” Lyon said when asked about Ashwin and Jadeja’s omission from India’s playing XI, speaking to the media on Wednesday. “But that just shows the quality of Indian cricketers they have in their squad. Ashwin has over 530 wickets, and Ravi [Jadeja] has more than 300. It’s pretty remarkable to see such high-quality players sitting on the bench, but I can’t control who they choose to play.”
While much of the pre-series focus was on Virat Kohli, who dominated Australian headlines, it is Jasprit Bumrah who has captured attention with his stunning performances in Perth.
