Lyon backs veteran Australia Test squad to keep playing past next Ashes series

SYDNEY: Most players in Australia’s Test squad are “closer to the end than the start” of their careers but they should be able to play on for another three to five years after working hard on their fitness and looking after their bodies, bowler Nathan Lyon said.

Australia had just two players under the age of 30 in the squad that claimed a 2-0 Test series win over New Zealand earlier this month.The world’s second-ranked Test side saw one high-profile retirement this year, with 37-year-old batter David Warner bringing down the curtain on his career in January, but Lyon did not expect other veteran exits ahead of the next Ashes series against England in 2025-26.

“We’re definitely getting closer to the end than the start,” Lyon, 36, said in an episode of the ‘Willow Talk’ podcast released on Monday.“But I think also where we are in our careers is that we’ve done the hard work when we’re continuing to do the hard work in our preparation, our recovery, our rehab.

“There’s no reason why we can’t keep playing on for three to four or five years.”Bowlers Lyon, Josh Hazlewood (33), Scott Boland (34) and Mitchell Starc (34) are among the older heads in the group, but Lyon said that captain Pat Cummins’ management of the bowling department helps keep them fresh.

“The only thing going to stop blokes is potential injuries and how the body holds up. The skill is always going to be there. The guys have played long enough now and they know what to do and how they go about it,” Lyon said.

“And another thing is that, especially within the bowlers, under Pat (Cummins), Pat gets it as well. He understands when the bowlers are cooked ... he understands the importance of managing (our) bowlers pretty well.”