Nathan Lyon set to end two-year BBL exile, play first game for Melbourne Renegades

As he approaches his 38th birthday, Nathan Lyon is ready to make a comeback. The veteran spinner hasn’t played BBL since leaving the Sydney Sixers two years ago. That’s about to change.

Two years on from signing with the Big Bash League club, Nathan Lyon expects to finally play for the Melbourne Renegades this summer.

Lyon, 37, joined the Renegades on a three-year deal in 2023 after leaving the Sydney Sixers, but has not yet played a game for his new side.

In 2023-24, a back-ended home Test calendar because of the one-day World Cup meant the BBL overlapped with most of Test series against Pakistan and the West Indies.

Then last summer, Lyon was ruled out of BBL participation as he nursed a hip complaint ahead between the home Test series against India and the tour of Sri Lanka.

However Lyon thinks early 2026 will finally provide a window for him to get his black and red cap given Australia has a barren period in Test cricket between the end of the home Ashes in early January and a Top End series against Bangladesh in the Aussie Winter.

Nathan Lyon is two years into a three-year deal with the Renegades – but is yet to play a game. Picture: Getty

It creates a window for several of Australia’s Test specialists to play in the BBL, which could also potentially serve as a Twenty20 taster for frontline Aussie quicks Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ahead of the T20 World Cup across February and March in India and Sri Lanka.

“Yeah, definitely,” Lyon told this masthead of his hopes of playing in the BBL.

“After the fifth test match against England, we’ve got a break from Test cricket until, I think it’s mid-July or something around that date. So yeah, I’ll be looking to get down involved in the Renegades squad, which I’m actually excited about. I’d like to go down and play Big Bash.

“I feel like Big Bash is a great competition, and to be involved in it will be pretty special. So I know I haven’t debuted for them, but I’ve been feeling a part of that group for a while now. So I’d actually like to be able to go out there and play that’s for sure.”

Nathan Lyon hasn’t played a game in the BBL since he left the Sixers. Picture: AAP

The BBL schedule for next season is due out in the coming days.

It’s understood the Melbourne Stars’ home derby against the Renegades at the MCG has been moved to a more family-friendly timeslot at 6:05pm on Sunday January 4 in a mid to maximise attendance for a fixture that drew more than 80,000 in early 2016.

Steve Smith (elbow) and Matt Kuhnemann (thumb) suffered injuries during last season’s BBL that interrupted their preparations for the Tests in Sri Lanka, however both ultimately starred after being cleared to play.