Nathan Lyon reckons he is on course for the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin come 13 August – the start of a run that could see Australia play 20 Tests in 11 months. After months of rehab, the off-spinner bowled at Cricket Central in Sydney this week and declared, “Yeah, 100%,” when asked whether he would be ready.
Key facts first
• Hamstring torn in last summer’s third Ashes Test in Adelaide
• Surgery required to re-attach the muscle
• Lyon has since logged more than 700km on a road bike as part of rehab
• He is sitting on 567 Test wickets, second only to Shane Warne for Australia
• Turns 39 in November, with selectors publicly weighing long-term options
The injury
CA physical performance coach Ross Herridge did not sugar-coat the incident. “It was a pretty traumatic injury,” he said. “He planted his right leg and then dived over that to get the ball. It just puts that hamstring under extreme stress and you’re having to withstand pretty high forces.” Herridge added that Lyon has ticked off every marker so far. “We’ve got physical markers that we check along the way and there’s checkpoints to make sure it’s going well and so far he’s hit all of them.”
How Lyon feels now
The player himself describes the last few months as gruelling, yet strangely energising. “[I’m] absolutely flying. I feel really good, really confident … very happy with the way it’s gone. It’s been a lot of hard work, there’s no point in hiding behind that, a lot of long days and stuff, but that’s all been part of it.”
That work has included regular 30- to 40-kilometre rides around the New South Wales coast. The cycling bug has, in his words, become “addictive”, though he admits nothing replaces the feel of a cricket ball in hand. Bowling again – even to empty nets – convinced him the comeback is realistic.
Selectors’ cautious notes
National selector George Bailey and head coach Andrew McDonald have stopped short of rubber-stamping Lyon for the whole marathon schedule. That caution did not escape him. “I saw George’s comments, he’s had a phone call. I have seen Andrew’s comments, he’s had a phone call,” Lyon said with a wry smile. “But, yeah, 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 that I’m performing, doing all the right things. But I’m, hand on heart, set on playing every Test match I’m available for.”
No retirement talk
Lyon insists the thought of quitting never surfaced. The switch flicked, oddly enough, during the opening State of Origin rugby league match. “Seeing those guys be 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 what’s really driving me at the moment,” he said. “I was sitting there with my wife and I literally said, I’m not ready to give up this, I’m missing this right now.”
What lies ahead
If selected, Lyon must first negotiate turning Darwin’s dry surface – traditionally friendlier to quicks early on, before spin plays – then prepare for home series against West Indies and India, plus an away Ashes next winter. Australia may also juggle Todd Murphy and left-arm option Matthew Kuhnemann, both younger, both quietly impressing.
Former Test spinner Gavin Robertson told ABC radio last week that Lyon’s control still sets him apart. “You can plan all you like for the future, but right now, over five days, Nathan still gives Pat Cummins more calm than anyone else.” Stats support that: Lyon’s economy rate (2.46) remains lower than Murphy (2.70) in first-class cricket.
The risk factor
Hamstring re-injuries are not uncommon, particularly for athletes over 35, but Herridge believes the combination of surgery and strong conditioning lowers that percentage. Lyon has already bowled off a full run-up; the next step is live net sessions in Brisbane through July. Should any soreness reappear, selectors have signalled they will not hesitate to rest him.
Balanced outlook
Australia’s brains trust must weigh Lyon’s experience – especially in clutch moments – against the need to give overs to his successors. With 600 wickets in sight, Lyon himself says the landmark is “nice but irrelevant” compared with winning. Yet even he concedes the schedule is brutal: 20 Tests, three continents, and a smattering of domestic fixtures for New South Wales when gaps allow.
Final thought
Lyon’s words are punchy, his body language confident, but his future is partly out of his control. If form stays up and the hamstring stays attached, he probably plays. If either slips, selectors have options ready. For now, though, the veteran off-spinner is back in the nets, revving the bike, and keeping the dream alive.
