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Ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka away from home, Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon expressed that if his team needs him to bowl 100 overs in a week in spin-friendly conditions, he will do it.
Right-hand batter Steve Smith has been appointed as the interim captain of the national side, as Australia announced a 16-player squad for their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning on January 29. Smith will lead the team in the absence of Pat Cummins, who is on paternity leave and recovering from a slight ankle issue sustained during the recent home summer. Lyon is also part of the squad, alongside young spinners Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann. The trio is expected to play a significant role on Sri Lanka's turning pitches. "I'll get my fair share of overs in Sri Lanka, and I am looking forward to that. If I have to bowl 100 overs each week, it doesn't bother me," Lyon said as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald. Further, the experienced campaigner opened up on bowling and taking fewer wickets in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against India at home. "At the end of the day, if Australia is winning Test matches and I'm taking zero wickets or one wicket or five wickets, it doesn't really concern me, as long as we can sing the song," the 37-year-old added. The off-spinner faced some problems with a sore hip during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, taking nine wickets at an average of 36.88. With 539 scalps in 134 matches at an average of 30.39 and best figures of 5/39, Lyon is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Tests and has 24 five-wicket hauls and five ten-wicket hauls. In Sri Lanka, Lyon has taken 35 wickets at an average of 32.02, with best figures of 5/34 and two five-wicket hauls to his name in eight matches. There is a first Test squad call-up for former Australia U19 Cricket World Cup captain Cooper Connolly, while fellow youngster Nathan McSweeney has been recalled despite missing the Melbourne and Sydney Tests in the recent Border-Gavaskar Series. Spinners Kuhnemann and Murphy also make a return for the tourists, though the team will miss Josh Hazlewood with his calf injury and Mitchell Marsh, with the pair focussing on the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. The likes of Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa and Peter Handscomb, who were all thrown up as potential travellers for the tour, were not selected. Whilst the two matches form part of the World Test Championship 2023-2025 cycle, final spots are already taken, with Australia (63.73% of possible points) and South Africa (69.44% of possible points) unable to be moved from the top two spots. The Australians will face South Africa from June 11 at Lord's in defence of the World Test Championship mace, with the Proteas closing out their spot thanks to a victory over Pakistan in late 2024. Sri Lanka Test series v Australia: January 29 to February 2 - Galle. February 6 to February 10 - Galle. Australia Squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. (ANI)
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