Watch: Emotional Nathan Lyon 'Shattered' and 'Heartbroken' After Calf Injury Threatens Ashes Dream

Nathan Lyon was holding back tears as he opened up on his calf injury and decision to bat while battling pain during Australia’s 2nd innings of the 2nd Test against England at Lord’s on Saturday.

Lyon had injured his calf while fielding on the second day of the Test following which he didn’t return.

However, once Josh Hazlewood was dismissed, the 35-year-old offspinner was seen hobbling towards the pitch as he joined Mitchell Starc to add 15 runs to the Australian lead before departing as the last man.

The capacity crowd at Lord’s gave Lyon a standing ovation and the applause continued as the Australian went through the Long Room to the dressing room.

“I had to go down and wait down in the Long Room because otherwise I would have been timed out,” Lyon told reporters later.

Lyon revealed that Australia captain Pat Cummins didn’t want him to bat because of the injury but he wanted to support his teammates.

“Pat (Cummins) originally said to wake up to myself, that I’m not going out there.  But I had a chat to (head coach) Andrew McDonald and our medical team and tried to find a way that I could figure out how to go about it,” Lyon told Sen Radio on Sunday.

“I spent a lot of time in the physio room and in the gym upstairs here at Lord’s with a lot of tape on my leg and trying to figure out how to bat. I was just going out there and trying to do my role. There’s a lot of talk about my innings but I went out there to support my teammates. That’s what I do and I’d do it again tomorrow (Sunday). That’s just part of it,” he added.

Lyon could likely miss the remainder of the Ashes 2023 with three Tests remaining.

“I’m absolutely shattered, heartbroken. Speechless is probably the best way to put it. I had a dream to win an Ashes series over here, I’ve said it publicly, privately and everything else. Right now to have a severe calf strain it’s disappointing, it’s heartbreaking,” he said.