Ryan Harris Suggests Nathan Lyon May Be Excluded from Australia's Ashes XI
Click to start listening
New Delhi, Jan 6 (NationPress) Former Australian fast-bowler Ryan Harris has indicated that veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon might be omitted from the team's playing eleven for next year's Ashes series on home soil, as the hosts assess their most effective bowling lineup for the pivotal contest against England.
During the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, fast bowlers dominated on the lively pitches, resulting in a reduced role for Lyon, who boasts over 500 Test wickets. He managed to capture only nine wickets while bowling 122.4 overs across five matches during Australia's 3-1 victory against India.
“Scotty, as we know him, is the player who steps in when there's an injury. That's been his role historically... however, he secured 21 wickets at an average of 13, which is certainly a point for selectors to consider given Josh Hazlewood's absence,” Harris stated on 2GB's Wide World of Sports radio on Monday.
“Hazlewood is an exceptional bowler, and his statistics are impressive. This raises a pertinent question about our strategy as we move to different conditions in Sri Lanka. There will be debates about whether we will field four quicks and potentially omit, dare I say it, the GOAT (Lyon),” he added.
Before the Ashes, Australia is set to play two Tests in Sri Lanka, commencing on January 29 in Galle, followed by the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's in June and a Test tour of the West Indies later that month.
“I anticipate they will strive for stability. Discussions are surely taking place behind the scenes… but we cannot afford to have three or four players sidelined simultaneously. Many are calling for changes, but there must be a strategic plan in the inner circle,” Harris concluded.
“With two Tests in Sri Lanka, a World Test Championship, and a tour to the West Indies on the horizon, there’s a considerable amount of cricket to be played before then. The selectors have faced some scrutiny, but ultimately they continue to demonstrate what the team can achieve. They are making sound decisions, even if it might not always appear that way from the outside,” Harris remarked.
