Australia's spin giant Nathan Lyon ruled out of Ashes with calf injury, Todd Murphy likely to play 3rd Test

Australia spin great Nathan Lyon is officially ruled out of the remainder of Ashes 2023 with a calf injury in his right leg. Playing his 100th straight Test at the Lord’s in London, Lyon suffered the injury while fielding on day two. Though he didn’t come on to bowl after that, the number 11 batter showed heart and courage to play for his final after the fall of the ninth wicket in Australia’s second innings.

One-legged Lyon stitched a crucial 15-run stand with Mitchell Starc for the last wicket, scoring four runs. For his brave effort, he received appreciation from all quarters and rightly so. Meanwhile, the spare batter Matthew Renshaw is also released from the squad but will remain in the UK on standby.

In Lyon’s absence, young Todd Murphy, 22, is likely to get drafted into the playing XI for the third Test in Leeds, starting this Thursday. Moreover, Michael Neser, who was the late addition to the side ahead of the first Test, retains his place in the squad for the next Test.

Following the end of one of the most-talked-about Ashes Tests lately, Lyon met with Australia’s medical team on Sunday to get details about his injury status. 122-Test-old Lyon had never missed a game due to an injury, having played his 100th consecutive Test at the Mecca of Cricket.

Meanwhile, Murphy’s addition to the side will be valuable given his credentials in his short career so far. The right-arm off-spinner made his Test debut in Nagpur during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy early this year, picking 14 wickets in four Tests at 25.21. His best inning figures of seven for 124 came in Nagpur only.

While he played the previous four Tests with Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann from second Test onwards, the future star will be alone this time alongside the pace battery of Starc, Captain Pat Cummins and seamer Josh Hazlewood.

Renshaw’s omission comes as a blessing in disguise for Warner

Doubts around David Warner’s horrific record against Stuart Broad worried the Aussies, but his first fifty (66) of the tour in the first innings and a fighting 76-ball 25 in the second innings under light has put all those doubts under the mat. With Marcus Harris and Mitchell Marsh already included as backups players in the squad, releasing Renshaw doesn’t put Australia on the back foot.

Pat Cummins (capt), Steven Smith (vice-capt), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Todd Murphy, Scott Boland, Michael Neser, Marcus Harris, Mitchell Marsh, Jimmy Peirson (wk)

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