New Delhi, Jan 6 Former Australia fast-bowler Ryan Harris believes veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon could be left out of the side’s playing eleven for the next year’s Ashes at home, as the hosts’ weigh up their best bowling line-up for the all-important series against England.
With fast bowlers calling the shots on spicy pitches in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Lyon, who has 500-plus Test wickets, had a minimised role in Australia’s 3-1 triumph against India, picking only nine wickets while bowling 122.4 overs in five matches.
"Scotty, as we know him, is the guy that comes in when someone gets injured. That's his role in the past... but he took 21 wickets at 13, so that's definitely something the selectors are going to have to think about with Josh Hazlewood not being in there.
"Josh is a very good bowler and his record speaks for itself. It's definitely a question that has got to be asked and we are going to completely different conditions in Sri Lanka. Questions will be there for next summer and whether we play four quicks and leave out, dare I say it, maybe the GOAT (Lyon)," said Harris to 2GB's Wide World of Sports radio on Monday.
Before the Ashes, Australia have two Tests to play in Sri Lanka, starting on January 29 in Galle, as well as the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June and a Test tour of the West Indies later that month.
"I think they will try and keep it as stable as possible. The conversations are no doubt being had behind closed doors… but we can't afford to lose three or four players at a time. Everyone is screaming that 'this has got to happen', but in the inner sanctum, there would be a plan in place.
"There's two Tests in Sri Lanka, there's a World Test Championship and even a West Indies tour, so there's gonna be a little bit of cricket between now and then. They (selectors) have copped a bit of criticism - but ultimately they have come through again and showed what the team can do. They are making good decisions, even if from the outside it might not always look like it," concluded Harris.
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