Lyon nails Poms in three words as Aussie delivers perfect sledge over handshake furore

News.com.au

30-07-2025

Nathan Lyon on Tuesday offered England's cricketers a word of advice on how they could've handled the end of the fourth Test against India more suitably, instead of offering an early handshake.
'Get them out,' came Lyon's blunt reply when asked at a sponsor function for the Melbourne Renegades.
'Don't let them get a hundred.'
Lyon was pressed further but after laughing and composing himself, opted against fanning the flames further — but the subtle sledge was already out there.
England sparked a frenzy at Old Trafford when captain Ben Stokes and his players forcibly tried to call an early draw in the Test while Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja were both chasing centuries in scenes dubbed 'shameless' by those watching on.
The offer declined, England proceeded to bowl some poor deliveries via batter Harry Brook and sledge their Indian rivals until they reached their milestones.
Lyon has been a keen observer of the series with the Ashes on the horizon, and was asked for his view on how the fourth Test reached its controversial conclusion.
That's when Lyon said he would have taken the more conventional approach to stopping their charges to three-figures by getting Sundar and Jadeja out — an early sledge that will only add fuel to the fire of this summer's Ashes series.
Meanwhile, in a further sledge, Lyon said England is transforming its once 'totally reckless' Bazball approach to mirror the win-orientated Aussies, and are now playing a style they have championed for the past decade.
Lyon has often downplayed England's touted ultra-aggressive style under coach Brendon McCullum and repeated his analysis on Tuesday.
England leads what has become a feisty series against India 2-1 heading into the final Test this week before it prepares for the upcoming Ashes in Australia with players including the world's No.1 batter, Brook, declaring his team has been 'too nice' in the past.
Lyon, a self-labelled 'cricket nuffy', says he is watching the heated series with keen interest and is noticing a shift in the English way with winning now above entertainment in their goals.
'I think they're just doing what we've been doing for the last 10 years, playing a positive brand of cricket (and) trying to win games of cricket,' Lyon said.
'I think Bazball has honestly changed a little bit, they're now thinking about ways of how to win games, not being totally reckless.
'The conditions over here, it's always been a great competition between bat and ball … it's going to be challenging for their batters, challenging for our batters.
'At the end of the day and you want to see competition between bat and ball, I think that's crucial … all the fans, that's what they want to see as well.'
Lyon was dropped for the first time in over a decade ahead of the final Test in the West Indies for eventual hat-trick taker Scott Boland.
But the off-spinner isn't expecting to be carrying the drinks come the first Test at Perth Stadium later this year.
Lyon says he is already studying the English and how he can navigate their aggressive style.
'I totally expect them to come out and attack me, I think every touring team comes and says they're going to attack the spinner,' he said.
'I am pretty used to that now, I've got no dramas with guys trying to attack me, it brings me into the game (and) I'm looking forward to that.
'I've got some plans and am already writing down a few things I want to try and put in play and working on.
'That's exciting, that's why you want to play against the best players in the game and they've got some of the best batters at the moment playing in their side.
'It's going to be a good challenge we should all be very excited about.'
Cricket Australia confirmed on Tuesday that England would take on a PMs XI in a pink-ball contest in Canberra in the lead-up to the second Test at the Gabba, which will be a day-night affair.