Nathan Lyon on him keeping spin “cool” being a key responsibility after the untimely passing away of Shane Warne.
Nathan Lyon has revealed how he felt it became his duty to keep spin bowling “cool”
With five Test matches against India and two more in Sri Lanka this season, Lyon can tie Warne for the second-highest wicket-taking record in Australian history.
The 36-year-old is adamant that there is no end in sight, hinting at the prospect of continuing to play until he turns 40 and the England Ashes series in 2027.
Lyon claimed he hadn’t given any thought to who would eventually take his place in the Test team. Or what legacy he would leave for upcoming spinners when his career came to an end. However, he said that since Warne’s death in 2022—the legspinner having brought the sport back to life in the 1990s and motivated a new generation of bowlers. He had felt an even greater need to further the profession.
“I do see the responsibility of flying the flag for the spinners around the country, there is no hiding behind that,” Lyon said. “Especially with the passing of Warnie, I feel like there is a big role for me to ensure that spin stays cool.
“I am not cool in any way, but if I can try and promote spin bowling and promote how great it is to be a spin bowler … it’s pretty cool.”
Lyon is currently third among all Australian bowlers with 530 career wickets. That is 33 shy of Glenn McGrath’s final tally of 563.
Australia’s current success has been greatly attributed to the spinner’s endurance. Lyon played 100 consecutive Tests prior to suffering a calf injury during the Ashes last year. However, Lyon claimed that his father gave him the realisation that, in the wake of Warne’s passing, he had to push spin.
“Just having that conversation and understanding we’re role models in so many different ways. To so many different people around the world,” he said. “And if we can do our little bit to hopefully make people better cricketers or people, we’re doing our job.”