Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has expressed his belief that the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against India will serve as Australia’s “grand final,” dismissing any concerns about the team’s preparations being affected by the buzz surrounding the Ashes series.
In an interview with the Australian Associated Press, Lyon emphasized that despite the hype surrounding the Ashes series against England, the WTC final against India remains their primary focus. Lyon referred to the match against India as Australia’s “grand final” and expressed excitement about being part of such a significant event. He urged Australian fans to be equally enthusiastic about the WTC final, recognizing the importance of the match and the level of competition it promises.
Lyon dismissed concerns that the chatter surrounding the Ashes series could distract the Australian team, asserting their planning and preparations for the WTC final have been well-executed. He expressed confidence in understanding the challenges ahead and emphasized the team’s ability to maintain focus amidst the noise.
“Yes, we are playing the Ashes but we’ve got a big game that we’re up for. This (WTC final) is our grand final, and then our season basically starts again. That’s probably where we’re quite happy with where we’re at with our planning. We are able to understand what we’ve got around the corner and be OK. It’s exciting to be part of the final and the fanfare and stuff around it, it’s bloody special. I know every Australian fan is looking forward to the Ashes, and so they should be. But they should also be excited about this match.” Lyon was quoted as saying by Australian Associated Press.
The WTC final against India will serve as their only match before taking on England in the five-Test series. Despite the absence of warm-up matches, Lyon believes that the team’s meticulous planning and understanding of the upcoming fixtures will put them in a favorable position to perform well.
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Reflecting on Australia’s 1-2 loss in the Test series against India earlier this year, Lyon expressed his belief that the series’ outcome would not have any bearing on the upcoming contest. He highlighted the well-rounded squads of both teams and acknowledged the challenges posed by India’s formidable batting lineup and skilled, fast bowlers.
“You can wipe off anything that happened in India. Both teams are really well-rounded in their squads. It is going to be a really good challenge. India obviously has some class batters but they have some class fast bowlers as well. It’s going to be a good challenge. Both squads going at it and competing for one game will be a really good challenge,” he added.
