Which Australia Test stars will play in the BBL this season and how long for

For the second straight season Nathan Lyon is set to be ruled out of playing BBL cricket, reports DANIEL CHERNY.

Nathan Lyon is set to be ruled out of a second successive Big Bash League season for the Melbourne Renegades as Cricket Australia manages his workload ahead of a Test tour of Sri Lanka in which he is expected to shoulder a heavy load.

Meanwhile batting pair Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne are likely to play just one game each for the Brisbane Heat before they depart for a training camp in the UAE.

CA is set to provide an update on BBL availability later on Tuesday however sources have confirmed that Lyon is highly unlikely to feature in any of the Renegades’ matches before he heads to the Gulf in preparation for the Sri Lanka Tests.

Nathan Lyon is set to be ruled out for the Renegades. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images for Melbourne Renegades

Though the 37-year-old bowled just 122.4 overs across a pace-dominated Test series against India, he is understood to be dealing with relatively minor niggles including a hip complaint.

The veteran off-spinner is not considered to be in any doubt for the two Tests beginning at Galle on January 29, however CA does not want to take any risks with him.

CA last year placed restrictions on Lyon’s involvement with English county Lancashire.

Lyon signed a three-year deal with the Renegades in 2023 after leaving the Sydney Sixers but did not play a game with the club last summer either as CA kept him on a tight leash.

Though the Heat play the Adelaide Strikers on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval, Queensland Cricket chair Kirsten Pike said on the ABC on Monday night that Labuschagne and Khawaja would not play for the club until the match against the Hobart Hurricanes in Brisbane on January 16.

Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne won’t play for the Brisbane Heat until January 16. Picture Lachie Millard

Both are set to be part of the squad for the Sri Lanka Tests, set to be unveiled as early as Thursday.

Scott Boland won’t play at all for the Melbourne Stars either, although fellow Sydney Test hero Beau Webster will return against the Sydney Sixers at the MCG on Thursday night.

The Sixers have been optimistic about regaining Steve Smith but marquee supplementary player Mitchell Starc is no chance of playing this season.

Sam Konstas is expected to front for the Sydney Thunder before the Sri Lanka tour while Alex Carey is a likely starter for the Adelaide Strikers, but the fatigued Travis Head - a three-format gun - is more doubtful after a prolific series against India.

Mitch Marsh and Jhye Richardson - both bench players at the SCG - are due to play for the Perth Scorchers against the Renegades in Perth on Tuesday night.

Originally published as Which Australia Test stars will play in the BBL this season and how long for