Spin shootout looms on Asian tour

Coach Justin Langer says Nathan Lyon remains part of Australia’s World Cup plans despite the off-spinner being dropped for the series-deciding ODI against India in Melbourne.

After going wicketless in the opening two games of the series, Lyon was replaced by Adam Zampa the MCG, the leg-spinner conceding just 34 from his 10 overs but also failing to take a wicket.

It meant Australia’s only wicket taken by spin in this series was Glenn Maxwell’s lone strike in Adelaide earlier this week, while India’s spinners picked up 10 dismissals in the three games, including six to leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal on Friday.

Langer hinted that both Zampa and Lyon will play in the same XI at times on the upcoming tours of India and the UAE (against Pakistan), a tour he hopes will provide clarity around who Australia’s frontline spinner will be for their Cup defence.

“We don’t traditionally play two spinners in one-day cricket, but it might come up in the World Cup,” Langer said after India secured a 2-1 series win.

“And certainly, in India and the UAE, there’s a good chance that will happen.

“There might be opportunities … where you might play both of them.

“If it doesn’t, depending on the opposition, we’ll pick one of those two to play in the World Cup.”

Langer said Zampa’s ability to perfect a big-turning leg-break to go with his series of straighter deliveries and wrong-uns could help give him the edge over Lyon, Australia’s incumbent Test spinner who has floated in and out of the one-day side since playing the first of his 17 ODIs in 2012.

The Australians needed only to look as far as the opposing dressing-room on Friday to see the importance of a potent spin-bowler in one-day cricket, with Chahal’s six-wicket haul earning him player-of-the-match honours as India won the series.

Chahal and fellow Indian wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav loom as critical players for India’s Cup tilt, while Adil Rashid (England), Imran Tahir (South Africa) and Aghan pair Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are also expected to play pivotal roles.

Langer acknowledged the correlation between successful one-day teams and potent spin bowlers, saying Lyon’s inability to take wickets in the opening two games led to his axing.

“Between the 10 and 40 over marks, we’ve got to take wickets,” Langer said.

“It’s no secret to anyone that the leg-spinners are having a huge impact on the game. And most of them who are can spin the ball both ways.

“The reason (Lyon) didn’t play tonight (came) on the back of the philosophy of trying to take wickets in the middle overs.

“And also with the number of right-handers in the Indian side, we wanted to go with Zamps, who can turn the ball away from the bat rather than into it.

“But Nathan Lyon is a world-class spinner, a very good fielder and one of the senior members of our team.”

Australia’s late charge to the World Cup title in 1999, the last time the tournament was held in the UK, was built on the resurgence of Shane Warne, who took eight wickets in the semi-final and final to guide his side to a second Cup crown.

Speaking on Fox Cricket on Friday, Warne said Lyon’s stream of well-directed off-breaks – which are so successful at Test level – aren’t enough in the shorter formats. 

“If Nathan Lyon wants to be a white ball cricketer, Twenty20 or 50-over cricket, I think he needs to develop something else,” Warne said.

“He just needs to develop a faster one or a top-spinner or something that goes the other way to be successful in this form of the game.”

Gillette ODI Series v India

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

India ODI squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Vijay Shankar, Shubman Gill

First ODI: Australia won by 34 runs

Second ODI: India win by six wickets

Third ODI: January 18, MCG (D/N)