'If he’s around the ground I’ll say hello to him' - Nathan Lyon on meeting Mitchell Johnson post David Warner controversy

In the lead-up to the first Test between Australia and Pakistan at Perth's Optus Stadium on December 14, spinner Nathan Lyon has downplayed any tensions with former teammate Mitchell Johnson. Despite recent remarks made by Johnson regarding David Warner, Lyon expressed no issues and intends to engage with him during the event.

Having recovered from an injury sustained during the 2023 Ashes, the right-arm spinner is poised to feature in the playing XI alongside Warner. Meanwhile, Johnson will join the broadcast team for the Test coverage. With both Lyon and Warner likely to play, the focus remains not only on their performance but also on their camaraderie on the field. Lyon's stance ahead of the Test match suggests a willingness to engage and diffuse any potential tensions with the 42-year-old.

“If he’s around the ground I’ll say hello to him, I’ve got no dramas with saying hello. He was pretty incredible in that 2013-14 Ashes, and I’ve got some very fond memories of it, that’s for sure," Lyon said ahead of the first Test as quoted by Sydney Morning Herald.

For nearly ten years, Nathan Lyon has been Australia's go-to spinner in Test cricket. With an impressive record of 122 Test matches and 496 wickets, he remains committed and shows no signs of calling it quits anytime soon. While recovering from the injury, he even offered his presence in the Australian squad for the World Cup 2023 as the Aussies were pondering for an additional spinner.

A column that changed the course of action

The headlines were sparked by Johnson's contentious comments about the Australia opener receiving a home farewell in red-ball cricket despite his perceived struggles and the sandpaper gate controversy. The situation escalated as the former Australia speedster disclosed feeling slighted by the lack of an appropriate text message from the 37-year-old. This led to involvement from other former cricketers, further fuelling the saga.

“Why a struggling Test opener gets to nominate his own retirement date. And why a player at the centre of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero’s send-off? … his past three years in Test cricket have been ordinary, with a batting average closer to what a tail-ender would be happy with," Johnson had written in his column.