Veteran off-spinner on track to be fit for Australia’s home Test series against Bangladesh in August
A defiant Nathan Lyon has phoned Australian selectors to insist he can still play every Test as he enters the final stages of his recovery from a “pretty traumatic” hamstring injury.
Lyon has been sidelined since tearing his hamstring off the bone in the third Ashes Test in December but is on track to be fit for the home series against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay in August.
Australia’s greatest finger-spinner is currently in the gym at least five days a week, has ridden about 700km since taking up road cycling in his recovery, and is almost back to running at full intensity.
Lyon bowled at Cricket Central in Sydney on Monday morning and plans to do so on turf wickets against batters in the coming weeks.
“It’s been quite a long process from the Adelaide Test. We’re probably two-thirds through it now … it’s a pretty traumatic injury,” said Cricket Australia physical performance coach Ross Herridge.
“We’ve got markers through this process, physical markers, that we check along the way. So far he’s hit all of them.”
But even as the 141-Test veteran nears his return, chief selector George Bailey has publicly contemplated whether his hamstring could get back to a level of strength that would allow him to play every Test match.
Australia coach Andrew McDonald last month stopped short of guaranteeing Lyon selection against Bangladesh if available, given seamer-friendly conditions had led to the 38-year-old being left out twice in three Tests prior to his injury in Adelaide.
Those comments were noticed by Lyon, who memorably told media he was “absolutely filthy” with his omission from the XI for last summer’s day-night second Ashes Test in Brisbane.
Lyon said the effort he’d put into his recovery from surgery was to allow him to be available to play every match, as Australia prepare for up to 21 Tests in 12 months from August.
“I saw George’s comments; he’s had a phone call. I’ve seen Andrew’s comments; he’s had a phone call,” Lyon said on Monday as tickets to the Australian international summer went on sale.
“I wouldn’t be doing all this work right now if I didn’t want to play every Test match.
“No one has a given right to be selected for Australia, so I know I need to make sure I’m performing, doing all the right things, but I’m, head and heart, set on playing every Test match I’m available for.
“I know how hungry I am … and I’m addicted to training.
“I’m addicted to trying to get better every day, so trying to get back to the fitness level (I was at prior to the injury) was never a concern for me.”
Lyon said he never contemplated retirement during his extensive recovery period and found an unlikely source of inspiration last month.
Canberra Raiders fan Lyon sat in the stands as NSW defied the odds to rally from 20-0 down and win the first rugby league State of Origin match in Sydney.
That’s when he turned to his wife sitting beside him to say that he too was more motivated than ever to pursue his own comeback story.
“Seeing those guys being able to write a fairytale script for so many people in the crowd, and for a professional athlete, to have that ability to do that, that’s really driving me at the moment,” Lyon said.
“I was sitting there with my wife, and I literally said to Emma, ‘I’m not ready to give up this, I’m missing this right now’.”
