Nathan Lyon shocked at ODI recall as Usman Khawaja’s international career put on notice
NATHAN Lyon has had his one-day career resurrected but Usman Khawaja’s international future is under cloud after he was overlooked for the rebuilding assignment in England.
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NATHAN Lyon’s one-day career has been reborn but senior batsman Usman Khawaja may have had his put to rest.
Desperate for experienced batsmen to step up and fill the giant void left by David Warner and Steve Smith, the fact selectors have overlooked Khawaja in a time of unprecedented need, for the one-day tour of England, is damning.
Khawaja’s international future under Justin Langer is now under a serious cloud and the 31-year-old may be fighting to avoid the axe in Test cricket come later in the year.
Despite a stellar domestic one-day average of 45, Khawaja was left out for 34-year-old West Australian Shaun Marsh who hasn’t played 50-over cricket for Australian in almost 18 months.
Australia’s next Test tour is against Pakistan in spinning conditions in the UAE, and Khawaja — with a poor record in Asia — is firmly on the edge as selectors chase continuity at No.3 in all conditions.
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On the other end of the spectrum is Australia’s never-say-die spinner Lyon, who is back in one-day cricket after a two-year absence.
Lyon’s last conversation with national selector Trevor Hohns left him convinced his exile would continue, but finally the panel has chosen to back their champion Test spinner with a white ball as they look to zero in on a World Cup squad capable of defending Australia’s crown on UK soil in 2019.
“Four weeks ago I had a meeting with Cracker (Hohns) and he didn’t rate my chances very highly. But to get a phone call from (him) last night while I was cooking dinner was a good surprise,” said Lyon, who was the notable absentee from Australia’s World Cup triumph at home in 2015.
“(The message was) it’s a great opportunity for you to push your claims for the World Cup in 2019
“To get this opportunity and be included in the squad to head over to England, where the World Cup is going to be played, is going to be a massive advantage.
“Hopefully if I get the opportunity to go out there … (I can do so) with the mindset of the World Cup next year.”
Lyon said he and other players are catching up for dinner with deposed captain Steve Smith on the weekend and said he has also reached out to David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
“I have no dramas with the three of them coming back,” he said.
The other big stories in Australia’s dual naming of one-day and Twenty20 squads for England and Zimbabwe was the 50-over selection of indigenous young gun D’Arcy Short and the elevation of Alex Carey to the Twenty20 vice-captaincy.
Carey is clearly on their radar for next year’s one-day World Cup not only as wicketkeeper but as a potential shock candidate for the captaincy.
The South Australian could take Warner’s opening spot and line up alongside Aaron Finch at the top of the one-day order, with Paine playing as the keeper.
Meanwhile, selectors decided to be ruthless with the injury-riddled body of Brisbane Heat bash brother Chris Lynn, leaving him out of the one-day and Twenty20 teams.
Australia’s medical staff has deemed Lynn’s crook shoulder to not be up to the standards required for fielding at international level.
If Lynn can’t get his shoulder right in his latest rehabilitation attempt selectors may have to scrap him once and for all from their World Cup plans.
One-day squad: Tim Paine (capt), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye
Originally published as Nathan Lyon shocked at ODI recall as Usman Khawaja’s international career put on notice
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