Why Mike Hussey had doubts about choosing Nathan Lyon to be the songmaster of the Australian Test cricket team, and how Lyon proved he made the right choice

But he was an off-spin bowler.

The six songmasters before me had all been batsmen or wicketkeepers with an established place in the team. The vagaries of injury, selection and changing conditions at home and abroad has always meant job security is less certain for bowlers. And Australia’s history with off-spinners was particularly fraught. It was fair to say none of Australia’s great spin bowlers up to that point had been “offies” – Shane Warne, Richie Benaud, Bill O’Reilly, Clarrie Grimmett, you name them, they’d all been leg-spinners.

So, I was worried about Nathan’s ability to keep his place in a team that was, itself, going through transition.

After labouring over my decision, I decided I had to trust my gut and make the choice based on character. He was the best person for the job, so I handed it to him.

Little did I know he would lead the team tune for the next 12 years, playing 100 consecutive Tests right up to the 2023 Ashes. He proved my doubts about his place in the team wrong and became Australia’s off-spin GOAT, with more than 500 wickets to his name.

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Earlier this year, “Gaz” handed the baton on, making wicketkeeper Alex Carey the new songmaster.

Last week’s Brisbane Test showed how well he chose – Carey was exemplary with gloves and bat. It might sound ironic to say, given Nathan didn’t play in Brisbane, but I think the Gabba Test also showed how well I chose back in 2013.

The selectors took a huge risk in dropping Lyon and going into the Test without a specialist spin bowler, especially on such a true surface.

Although I had an inkling it was being considered, I must confess I was shocked when it was confirmed before the toss that “Gaz” was out of the team.

He has an excellent record at the Gabba. The natural overspin he puts on the ball generates extra bounce from the lively Brisbane pitch and brings close fielders into play. But his record at Optus Stadium in Perth is even stronger, and he only got two overs in the first Test there, so I can see what the selectors were thinking.

The pink ball used in the Brisbane day-night match can get soft, and England’s batsmen had shown their desire to go hard at the Australian bowling would create plenty of opportunities for the Aussie quicks. So Australia banked on the Brisbane Test being another short game, and gambled on Michael Neser, who had two Tests to his name, over Lyon, who had 140.

I’m sure there were times in the game when the selectors would’ve been very nervous and wondering if they’d made the right decision to leave Lyon out of the team. There were certainly plenty of past players and experts saying it was a crazy move, and Lyon made his view crystal-clear when he told the broadcaster he was “filthy” at being dropped.

He was walking a fine line with those comments. There’s no doubt he was upset, and it was possible his reaction could have disrupted the team if he’d let his emotions bubble over.

But what mattered most was how he behaved within the Australian change rooms. And that’s where Nathan’s best qualities have always shone brightest.

It was OK for Nathan to fiercely guard his place in the team and to disagree with the selectors’ decision to leave him out – I would expect nothing less from him. The key was that he hold himself together, stay positive and do everything the team needed of him. It wouldn’t have been easy, but whenever I saw Nathan running drinks or gloves to his teammates at the Gabba, that’s what he was doing.

Nathan is now 38 and has been dropped for two of Australia’s past three Tests – the pink-ball matches in Jamaica and Brisbane – while having minimal involvement in the Test in between in Perth.

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But his spirited reaction to these disappointments, shows me he still has the fire within to compete, so I’m expecting him to play all three remaining Tests in this Ashes series and make a significant contribution.

The Adelaide Oval – where he famously once worked on the ground staff – is another ground where he has a strong record. And once more he has a point to prove to his doubters, and a song I’m sure he’s itching to sing with his teammates.

Mike Hussey played 79 Tests for Australia and will commentate for Fox Cricket and Kayo this summer.

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