Australian spinner Nathan Lyon returned to the Test team after recovering from his calf injury as they took on Pakistan in the first Test of the three-match series which began in Perth on December 14, 2023.
The seasoned off-spinner stands on the cusp of a monumental achievement of 500 Test wickets. With 496 wickets already to his name, Lyon is just four scalps away from joining the elite club of bowlers who are part of the list.
Lyon is not only Australia's mainstay in red-ball cricket but also stands as their most successful Test off-spinner. Lyon will be returning to cricket on his home ground in Perth and is expected to become only the 8th bowler to reach 500 Test wickets and 4th spinner after Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, and Anil Kumble.
Despite being 36 years of age, Lyon has expressed a desire to continue for Australia for as long as he can. He spoke to Cricket Australia and expressed his desire to continue playing international cricket, potentially until Australia's next Ashes tour to England in 2027.
Lyon said he has full faith in his fitness and that he doesn't intend to attach an end date or an expected wicket tally to his remaining career ambitions. He also shared his goals for the future before even thinking of retirement.
"I'm not putting a number on it. I want to play cricket for as long as I can. I haven't won a Test series in India, haven't won in England - those are two places that I want to do, so with the injury happening a couple of months ago, I feel like there's a passion there to keep going and keep trying to get better. I've had the mentality to try and rehab this like no one's rehabbed a calf injury before," Lyon told cricket.com.au.
Meanwhile, Australia posted 346/5 on day one of the first Test against Pakistan, with David Warner starring with 164 runs with 11 fours and 4 sixes. Debutant Aamer Jamal took two wickets, while fellow first-timer Khurram Shahzad also took a wicket.
