Australia’s Lyon joins Ashwin in solidarity over Ahmedabad track

Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon has joined India counterpart Ravichandran Ashwin in defending Ahmedabad’s spinfriendly pitch where India thumped England inside two days of the day-night third Test on Thursday.

Several former England players questioned the suitability of the pitch after 30 wickets fell in five sessions in what was the shortest completed Test match since 1935.

Ashwin launched an angry defence of the track on Saturday citing similar batting collapses in recent day-night tests, saying batsmen were still not used to the pink-ball novelty.

The spinner in Lyon was thrilled with the turn and irked by the criticism of the pitch that offered it.

“We play on seaming wickets around the world and get bowled out for 47, 60.

“Nobody ever says a thing [about the pitch],” Lyon said.

“But as soon as it starts spinning, everyone in the world seems to start crying about it.

“I don’t get it. I’m all for it, it was entertaining.”

The 33-year-old, a former pitch curator himself, said he was up all night watching the match.

“It was absolutely brilliant. I’m thinking about bringing that curator out to the SCG [Sydney Cricket Ground].