Nathan Lyon expresses disappointment at getting dropped and also said he “can play a role in any conditions”.
Despite his disappointment at missing Australia’s last Test match of the recent Caribbean tour, Nathan Lyon says he understood the selectors’ reasoning and believes it was the right choice in retrospect.
The selectors took a risk by leaving Lyon out of Australia’s Test XI for the third pink-ball Test at Sabina Park, even though he hadn’t been left out since 2013 for any reason other than injury. Due to the extremely harsh circumstances, they chose to utilise four fast bowlers instead.
During an appearance with a corporate partner of his BBL team, the Melbourne Renegades, Lyon spoke for the first time since missing the Test on Tuesday in Melbourne.
“There’s no point hiding behind it, I was disappointed with the decision, but I totally understood it,” he said. “Disappointed on a number of levels that: One, I believe I can play a role in any conditions, and I still honestly believe that. And then honestly, the other one was not to walk out on the field with Starcy. I’ve played 90-odd Test matches with Starcy, so to be able to walk out there with him in his 100th would have been amazing. But I was still there, running the drinks, and still part of it.
“I want to play every game for Australia, and I’ve just got that belief that I can play a role in any conditions, as every cricketer should have that belief.
“But at the end of the day, we can sit here and say hats off to them, they made the right call. And if I’m going to miss a game, Scott Boland is probably the guy you want to see go out there and perform. And for him to go out there and bowl like he did, like we always know he does, to take a hat-trick, was pretty special. And to witness the guys bowl them out for 27 that was pretty amazing.”