Australia chief selector George Bailey has admitted the team must be “realistic” about Lyon’s workload after the 38-year-old underwent surgery for a serious hamstring tendon injury suffered during the Ashes last December.
Lyon is targeting a comeback in August, when Australia are scheduled to play a two-Test series in Bangladesh.
But with Australia facing an extremely packed calendar, potentially 21 Tests in 12 months, selectors are already weighing how much cricket the senior spinner can handle.
Speaking about Lyon’s recovery, Bailey said the injury could affect his ability to get back to his previous physical level.
“It’s a pretty significant hamstring tendon injury to a 38-year-old, so there’s a sense of realism it may not ever get back to the upper echelon of where you need it to,” Bailey said.
He also suggested Australia may have to think carefully about how often Lyon can be used once he returns.
“It may mean there’s not necessarily the capacity to play big blocks of games, and you may have to look at that,” he added.
That makes the upcoming Bangladesh series particularly significant, as it could become Lyon’s first Test assignment after injury and a key part of Australia’s preparation for a demanding run that also includes tours of South Africa, India, and England.
Lyon has been one of Australia’s most durable cricketers over the past decade, famously playing 100 consecutive Tests between 2013 and 2023. However, injuries have begun to interrupt that run in recent years, with both calf and hamstring problems troubling him late in his career.
