Nathan Lyon vs Cricket Australia erupts as spinner breaks silence on Test axing before Ashes

The spin-bowling great Nathan Lyon has finally opened up on his axing from the Australia Test playing XI in the recent match against the West Indies.

Nathan Lyon openly admitted that he was "disappointed on a number of levels" after being kept on the bench for the third and final Test of the series against the Caribbean side.

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There's no point hiding behind it, I was disappointed - Nathan Lyon

The third Test of the series between Australia and the West Indies began on July 12 at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica. Lyon was surprisingly dropped from the playing XI in that match, and Australia went with four proper pacers.

The reason behind his axing was revealed as the extremely pace-friendly conditions in the pink-ball Test, as Australian team management trusted Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland to get the job done.

Nathan Lyon's axing was the first such instance in his legendary Test career after a long time as as since 2013, he had only missed matches because of injury-related issues.

Speaking about his snub, Nathan Lyon said that he was disappointed mainly because he possesses the ability to perform across all conditions and couldn't feature in his friend Mitchell Starc's 100th Test.

"There's no point hiding behind it, I was disappointed with the decision, but I totally understood it," Lyon said Tuesday during an appearance with a corporate partner of his BBL club Melbourne Renegades as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

"Disappointed on a number of levels that: One, I believe I can play a role in any conditions, and I still honestly believe that. And then honestly, the other one was not to walk out on the field with Starcy. I've played 90-odd Test matches with Starcy, so to be able to walk out there with him in his 100th would have been amazing. But I was still there, running the drinks, and still part of it."

I want to play every game for Australia - Nathan Lyon

The decision to keep Lyon on the bench eventually proved right as Australia bowled out the West Indies for 27 in the final innings, thanks to Mitchell Starc's 6-fer and Scott Boland's hat-trick, to bag a 176-run win. Nathan Lyon enjoyed the demolition in Jamaica and labelled it as pretty amazing. He elaborated:

"I want to play every game for Australia, and I've just got that belief that I can play a role in any conditions, as every cricketer should have that belief."

"But at the end of the day, we can sit here and say hats off to them, they made the right call. And if I'm going to miss a game, Scott Boland is probably the guy you want to see go out there and perform. And for him to go out there and bowl like he did, like we always know he does, to take a hat-trick, was pretty special. And to witness the guys bowl them out for 27 that was pretty amazing."

I'm being honest with you, so no, I've got no doubts there - Nathan Lyon

With Australia being bold enough to drop Nathan Lyon based on conditions, there are talks of a similar fate unfolding for the right-arm spinner in the upcoming Ashes.

However, Lyon is not thinking about it as he is confident that the team management will back him to be a part of the playing XI in all five games. He stated:

"I'm definitely not thinking about my place in the team. I know my role in the side, and the conditions really was the reason why I missed that Test match.

"But I'm fully focused on making sure that fitness levels are high, skill levels are high, leading into the first three Shield games and then into the Perth Test match. I love bowling in Perth. Love bowling all around Australia if I'm being honest with you, so no, I've got no doubts there."