Lyon suffered a serious tear in his right hamstring while diving to save a boundary on the final day of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide. The injury ruled him out for the remainder of the series, with Australia confirming he had undergone surgery earlier in the week. Coach Andrew McDonald opened up about the setback, describing Lyon as quite shattered, while insisting speculation about the end of his Test career was premature.
“He’s quite devastated. He’s a big part of what we do. He’s dealing with a long recovery period. Those kinds of injuries are going to be a difficult period for him to get back to where he was. But he still wants to do it and that’s the most important thing,” McDonald told cricket.com.au.
India is on the horizon, he will play a key role in that: McDonald
This is Lyon’s second major injury in two years, after a calf problem forced him out of the 2023 Ashes at Lord’s. Medical timelines indicate he will be sidelined for at least three to four months. Despite the long road to recovery, McDonald revealed the off-spinner is still an important part of Australia’s long-term plan, especially with a demanding Test schedule coming up soon.
Notably, Australia will not play another Test until mid-2026, when it hosts Bangladesh, before entering a cycle that includes series against New Zealand and South Africa, a five-Test tour of India in early 2027 and the 150th anniversary Test against England.
“India is on the horizon, he will be an important part of that. We have New Zealand (and) South Africa for that. So get through this rehabilitation and then (we will) look ahead,” he added.
Cricket Australia named its squad for the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne, with Todd Murphy named as the primary spin option. The 25-year-old defeated Matthew Kuhnemann, Corey Rochiccioli and Mitchell Swepson. Murphy, who played in the 2023 Ashes and has since recovered from a shoulder injury, is seen as capable of complementing Australia’s pacey attack.
However, the selectors are still weighing whether to field a specialist spinner at the MCG depending on the pitch conditions. Jhye Richardson was also included in the squad, while Pat Cummins and Lyon were ruled out due to management and injury respectively.
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