Nathan Lyon expects a full-strength England squad when they reach Australia for the Ashes, irrespective of the strong concerns about quarantine arrangements for players and their families.

The Ashes is scheduled to begin from December 8 in Brisbane.

“I’m expecting England to come out pretty well full-strength. The Ashes is about making people’s careers. So if people don’t come out while someone else comes out and has an absolute blinder of an Ashes series, that really sets their careers up.

“I know if I was in their shoes, I’d be putting both hands up for selection and coming on that tour,” the off-spinner, stuck on 399 Test wickets, was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Lyon’s provocative words before the 2017-18 Ashes, when he had said Australia would look to end some of the opposition players’ careers, had angered the English fans. They then made him one of their primary targets of abuse when Australia toured England in 2019, the last Ashes series before the Covid-19 outbreak.

“I think that shows the passion between the two nations, and it’s the pinnacle as an Australian cricketer to play in the Ashes. So no doubt, there will be some comments flying around and creating a bit of theatre, which I’m all for. So it should be good fun,” Lyon said.