Spinner Nathan Lyon has played down any tensions with former teammate Mitchell Johnson ahead of Australia’s first Test at Optus Stadium in Perth on December 14. Despite Johnson’s recent comments on David Warner, Nathan Lyon said he had no problems and plans to speak with him at the function.
The right-arm spinner is expected to play alongside Warner in the playing XI after recovering from an injury suffered during the 2023 Ashes. Johnson, meanwhile, will cover the test with the broadcast crew. The emphasis is still on Lyon and Warner’s on-field chemistry, even though both of them are expected to participate. Lyon appears to be willing to talk to the 42-year-old and try to ease any tensions that may arise before the test match.
“I will greet him if he is near the ground; I have no problems saying hello. He was very amazing in that 2013–14 Ashes, and I have some really good recollections of it, for sure,” Lyon stated prior to the opening Test, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.
In Test cricket, Nathan Lyon has been Australia’s go-to spinner for almost a decade.
Having amassed an outstanding record of 122 Test matches and 496 wickets, he is still fully engaged and doesn’t appear to be planning to retire anytime soon. He even offered to be included in the Australian World Cup 2023 squad while he was still healing from the injury, as the team was looking to add another spinner.
An article that altered the plan of action
The sandpaper gate scandal and Johnson’s divisive remarks regarding the Australia opener getting a home farewell in red-ball cricket despite his alleged troubles set off the headlines. The ex-speedster from Australia admitted that she believed the 37-year-old had betrayed her by failing to send her a suitable text message, which made the situation worse. Other former cricket players became involved as a result, adding to the story’s intensity.
Why it’s acceptable for a struggling Test opener to choose when to retire. And why does a player who is at the center of one of the biggest controversies in Australian cricket history deserve to be described as a hero before his retirement? … In his essay, Johnson stated, “His batting average over the last three years in Test cricket has been ordinary, more akin to what a tail-ender would be happy with.”