Nathan Lyon thinks that though Australia have an ageing Test squad, most of their players have the fitness to continue playing for another three to five years.
Australia had just two players under the age of 30 in the squad that claimed a 2-0 Test series win over New Zealand earlier this month.
“We’re definitely getting closer to the end than the start,” off-spinner Lyon, 36, said in an episode of the ‘Willow Talk’ podcast.
“But I also think that we’ve done the hard work... when we’re continuing to do the hard work in our preparation, our recovery, our rehab, there’s no reason why we can’t keep playing on for three to four or five years.”
Bowlers Lyon, Josh Hazlewood (33), Scott Boland (34) and Mitchell Starc (34) are among the older heads in the group, but Lyon said that 30-year-old captain Pat Cummins manages the bowling department well.
“The only thing going to stop blokes is potential injuries and how the body holds up. The skill is always going to be there. The guys have played long enough now and they know what to do and how to go about it,” Lyon said.
“And another thing is that, especially within the bowlers, Pat gets it as well. He understands when the bowlers are cooked ... he understands the importance of managing (our) bowlers pretty well.”
