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Nathan Lyon, the premier off-spinner for Australia, is ready to make a comeback to the national setup during the ODI World Cup 2023 if he is asked to reinforce the spin bowling department. The 35-year-old played international cricket for the last time against England during the second Ashes Test match at the Lord’s in London towards the end of June, where he suffered a series-ending calf injury.
As per the reports, Nathan Lyon will play grade cricket next week on his return from injury, before he takes part in the state cricket for New South Wales against South Australia on October 20 in the Marsh Cup at the Adelaide Oval. Then, from October 26 onwards, he will be turning up for the Sheffield Shield encounter for New South Wales against Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
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“I sent Andrew McDonald a text message the other day when I saw Ashton Agar was ruled out. I said, 'Just to let you know, I'm back bowling 10 overs, I'm right to go, 100 percent'. If that happened I'd do anything to go over and play the World Cup,” said Nathan Lyon about a potential comeback in the Australian cricket team for the ongoing quadrennial tournament, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
“I'd be more than comfortable going in there and doing it if I had to. But in saying that there has to be a lot of things going wrong, so let's hope for Australia's sake that doesn't happen. Hopefully, they go out there and have a really good campaign and make sure they go over there to achieve what they've gone over there to do,” he added.
Before the Australian cricket team plays its first Test match of the summer against Pakistan in the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, at the Optus Stadium in Perth from December 14 onwards, Nathan Lyon is scheduled to compete in three Sheffield Shield matches for New South Wales.
Apart from the trip to the MCG to battle against Victoria later this month, the 35-year-old will go head-to-head against Western Australia from November 6 onwards at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), before he takes the field against Tasmania at the same venue from November 28 onwards.