Veteran Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has confirmed that he is 100 percent fit ahead of the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. Nathan Lyon mentioned experiencing hip pain due to a minor injury but assured that he is ready to play and that the issue does not affect his bowling.
Steve Smith has been appointed as the interim captain for the Australia team in the absence of Pat Cummins, who is on paternity leave. Australia announced a 16-player squad, including Lyon, Todd Murphy, and Matthew Kuhnemann. The spinners are expected to play a crucial role in turning pitches.
When I Land on My Hip, It Is Pretty Painful – Nathan Lyon
Nathan Lyon had a limited impact with the ball in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 against India, where the home team secured a 3-1 series win. The veteran spinner bowled 122.4 overs in five Test matches in the recent series, his lowest tally in a four- or five-Test series, and the fewest in a home summer.
Lyon revealed that his hip issue started during the first Test against India. Lyon said that he aggravated a small bursa in his hip, which caused pain, especially when landing on it. He stated that the injury has not affected his ability to bowl, despite it being quite painful.
“It’s hard to explain; I am not very good with medical terms. It is like a little bursa [fluid sack] in my hip. I aggravated it, and it has been painful. It does not stop me from bowling, but when I land on my hip, it is pretty painful,” Lyon was quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald as saying.
Australia relied less on Lyon due to pitches favoring fast bowlers. He took nine wickets at an average of 36.88 during the India series. However, this lighter workload could benefit him ahead of the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka. Lyon is expected to play a central role in the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy.
I Am Trying to Avoid Contact – Nathan Lyon
After scans and treatment, Lyon resumed his fitness routine, including running and gym sessions. He reassured that his condition is improving, stating that he will be 100 percent fit. Lyon added that he’s been avoiding contact during his recovery and remains optimistic.
“All things going well, it is on the mend. I will be 100 percent fit,” Lyon reassured. “I had a scan after the Test and a jab. All things going well, it IS on the mend. I did a running and gym session [on Friday]. I am trying to avoid contact. I will be 100 percent fit.”
I Doubt We Will Be Playing Five Spinners – Nathan Lyon
Nathan Lyon, who has experience playing in Sri Lankan conditions, bowled 87 overs in a Test in Colombo in 2016. While spin-friendly pitches are often expected, Lyon anticipates “good cricket wickets,” recalling the 2022 second Test where Dinesh Chandimal scored a double-century.
“I originally thought it would be spin-friendly, but I think it’ll be similar to the second Test in 2022 when Dinesh Chandimal got 206. It will be hard work, but I doubt we will be playing five spinners,” he added.
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