- One Australian star could miss the entire summer of cricket
- Selectors could be forced to field another bowler
- Australia will face Pakistan and India this summer
Nathan Lyon is prepared to bowl extra during the Test summer as all-rounder Cameron Green faces the likely prospect of missing the entire India series due to back surgery.
This masthead understands that Cricket Australia is leaning towards booking Green for season-ending surgery on his stress fracture, but has not yet held a final consultation to determine the 25-year-old’s fate once and for all.
Green’s absence for at least part of the summer creates a workload dilemma for a five-match series against India, which marks Australia’s toughest home test since Pat Cummins became captain.
While Green’s injury could pave the way for Steve Smith to drop to No. 4 and a specialist opener to join the top of the order, the bigger concern appears to be the bowling load.
At 32, Australia’s second all-rounder Mitch Marsh has been used sparingly due to his average pace since making his fairytale return to the Test set-up last year, completing a total of just 38 overs in his last seven Test matches .
Cameron Green is facing the likely prospect of missing the entire India series due to back surgery
Nathan Lyon is prepared to bowl extra during the Aussie Test summer
The workload of the three big pacers – Cummins, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood – is also likely to be a delicate balancing act again this summer as the trio prepare to compete in all five Tests.
That leaves Lyon as a leading candidate to pick up the slack, with the legendary off-spinner stating that he was aiming to bowl as much as possible against India.
“I’m getting ready,” he said.
“I want to bowl a lot of overs. That’s what I love doing most in Test cricket. I will do what I have to do for the team. Pat knows that, everyone knows that.”
Part-time spinners Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne could also take on some of Green’s workload after impressive spells during the white-ball tour of Britain.
Head’s off-spin returned 4-28 in the fifth ODI against England to help seal a series win for the tourists, while Labuschagne took 3-39 in the opening match. Both were the best figures of the ODI career.
“Trav bowled quite well in the one-dayer recently and so did Marnus, so I think we have plenty of options,” Lyon said.
Cricket Australia is leaning towards booking Green for season-ending surgery on his stress fracture
It leaves Lyon as a leading candidate to pick up the slack, with the legendary off-spinner stating that he aimed to bowl as much as possible against India
‘In my view you (also) clearly have the three best bowlers in the world. I think there’s enough for the summer. It’s going to be a great summer.’
Lyon picked up a five-fer in the first of what he expects to be three Sheffield Shield matches for NSW before the Test summer.
He swept through the tail to confirm figures of 5-47 as NSW restricted South Australia to 260.
The 36-year-old said he was hungry for what is likely to be his last home Test series against India.
‘I was itching to start playing again. It’s what I like to do. I feel like I have the whole house trained, in a really good head space,” he said.
“It’s clear we have a huge summer ahead.”