Australian captain Pat Cummins says its unlikely Nathan Lyon will play again in the Test series and has virtually ruled himself out of playing in the Boxing Day Test.
Tom Decent reported from the post-match press conference that Cummins said he is unlikely to play in Melbourne, not necessarily through injury forcing him out but it might be prudent management after coming back from his back injury.
Asked on SEN radio shortly after the post-match presentations about the hamstring injury that forced Lyon from the field, Cummins said it was too early to say for sure how long the off-spinner would be sidelined.
“Dunno yet. He’s on crutches, so [that’s] probably not the greatest sign,” Cummins said.
“I doubt he’d be right for the next two [Tests], but I hen’t heard any more than that.”
Cummins, who missed the first two Tests as he recovered from a back injury, said he felt fit and strong after the five-day battle in Adelaide.
“I feel really good still, it just feels like a played a normal Test match, with all the bruises and bumps of a normal Test match where you bowl 30-odd overs,” he said.
The Australians celebrate their series win.Credit: Getty Images
SEN’s Adam Collins asked him whether he would play the remaining two Tests - Melbourne starting on Friday, and the Sydney Test starting in a fortnight’s time.
“We’ll sit down and probably he a chat about that in the next day or two. We always thought three [Tests] on the bounce was going to be tough, but we were pretty open-minded to anything when the series was alive. Now that we’ve won, we’ll sit back and work out what’s worth it.”