Lyon Hands Over Victory Song to Carey, But Retirement Not on the Horizon

Veteran Australia offspinner Nathan Lyon has passed on the cherished role of leading the team’s victory song to wicketkeeper Alex Carey — but has firmly ruled out any suggestion of impending retirement.

Lyon, who first took over as the song-master from Mike Hussey in 2013, has held the role for more than a decade, leading the rendition of "Under the Southern Cross I Stand" in 67 of his 119 Test wins. While he’s now stepping back from the post, he remains as committed as ever to his playing future.

“I’ve been very honoured to first lead the song, but to have it for 12, 13 years, it’s been one of the biggest highlights of my career,” Lyon said. “But this definitely doesn’t mean I’m retiring anytime soon. There’s no talk about me retiring or even thoughts coming in my head.”

Lyon revealed that the idea to pass on the song duties had been on his mind for a while. He officially handed it over to Carey during the ongoing West Indies tour, slipping a letter under his teammate's door after the second day’s play in Barbados. He had initially planned to do so following the World Test Championship final earlier this year, but Australia's loss to South Africa delayed the transition.

“It’s more about the team environment and making sure that I get the opportunity to pass it on to someone who I look at and absolutely love and the way he goes about it on and off the field,” Lyon said. “I just feel like Alex is the perfect candidate.”

Despite relinquishing the songmaster role, Lyon has his sights firmly set on future milestones — notably winning Test series in India and England, two achievements that have so far eluded him.

“I’ve always said I want to win away in India, and I want to win away in England,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve got that opportunity in a couple of years’ time, but we’ve got to take it Test by Test — starting with this series in the West Indies — then look ahead to a massive Ashes summer at home.”

Lyon is also targeting another appearance in a World Test Championship final and, given his current form, could surpass 600 Test wickets. Averaging around four wickets per match, he has a realistic shot at approaching Shane Warne’s legendary tally of 708 if he plays through to the next away Ashes in 2027.

“Warney’s a long way away,” Lyon said. “In my eyes, he’s the greatest to ever play the game. I’m just lucky to be part of a pretty special cricket team at the moment.”

Now one of only two players — alongside Mitchell Starc — remaining from Australia’s 2012 Caribbean tour, Lyon reflected on his long journey in the Baggy Green.

“I was sitting on the balcony this morning thinking, s**t, I was here in 2012,” he said. “There’s a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes that people don’t see. But I still love the game, and I love being part of this bowling attack. That’s the reason I keep playing.”

With no end in sight for his playing days, Lyon continues to be a central figure in Australia’s pursuit of sustained Test success — with or without the team song.