Former Australian team doctor Peter Brukner has expressed deep concern and painted a grim picture regarding the availability of Nathan Lyon in the ongoing Ashes 2023 series. Lyon suffered a calf injury during the second Test, and the seriousness of the injury has raised doubts about his participation for the rest of the series. Brukner, in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, stated that he does not believe we will witness Nathan Lyon bowling again in the Ashes 2023, which he deemed as a disastrous blow for Australia.
The absence of Lyon in the Australian lineup is a significant advantage for the confident England team, who will begin the third day of the Test match with four wickets down and 273 runs on the board. Although England still trails Australia by 138 runs, Lyon’s absence has tilted the balance in favor of the hosts.
Australia is eagerly awaiting the results of Lyon’s scans, which will determine the extent of the injury and shed light on his availability for the remainder of the series. However, Brukner, drawing from his medical expertise, stated that Lyon is likely to miss most of the remaining matches as calf injuries generally require four to six weeks of healing time.
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Describing Lyon’s injury as severe, Brukner emphasized the level of discomfort experienced by the spinner. He diagnosed it as a muscle tear in the gastrocnemius, which is the bulky calf muscle. Such an injury is often associated with significant bleeding, further highlighting the seriousness of the situation.
The news of Lyon’s potential absence from the Ashes series is undoubtedly devastating for Australia, as they lose one of their key players and a vital component of their bowling attack. The team will now have to regroup and find alternative strategies to compensate for the absence of Lyon’s skills and experience on the field.