As if being barely able to walk wasn’t enough pain for an injured Nathan Lyon, the spin king has been triggered by commentary that he returned to the crease in order to be hit on the head.

The remarks came from former English international Kevin Pietersen, who suggested on air that Australia would benefit from a concussion diagnosis, which would allow up and coming fellow spinner Todd Murphy to join the match as a substitute.

Lyon slammed Pietersen’s speculation as “bloody obscene”, bitterly noting that a bouncer to the head had claimed the life of his friend Phil Hughes.

A wounded Lyon provided the iconic moment of this Ashes series so far on Saturday, batting despite a badly shredded achilles tendon to help Australia add 15 vital runs for the final wicket at Lord’s.

Such was Lyon’s state, the 35-year-old had to hobble down the stairs of the Lord’s Pavilion one wicket early to ensure he was not timed-out, before sitting with the crowd until batting.

Still needing crutches to move properly, the 35-year-old then limped onto the field without them, used his bat as a walking stick and even hopped a single once in the middle.

Playing through the pain

The effort won him a standing ovation from Lord’s and even a chant of his nickname, Garry, from sections of the crowd after he hit a four to help Australia set England a fourth-innings target of 371.

England went to stumps at 4-114 in pursuit.

The decision for Lyon to bat inspired Pietersen, appearing on Sky Sports, to wonder what would happen if Lyon was concussed amid England’s bumper barrage, allowing for a concussion substitute.

“Imagine if he (Lyon) had been hit on the head and got concussion,” Pietersen said.

“He’d have got a like-for-like replacement and a world class spinner (Todd Murphy), based on how he performed in India, it gives food for thought.”

Lyon is understood to have heard of the Pietersen comments and hit out at them after play, given the Australian team’s trauma following Phillip Hughes’ 2014 death.

‘A really poor excuse or conversation’

“I have heard comments that people thought I went out there to get hit in the head,” Lyon said.

“I’m really against that because I’ve lost one of my mates due to being hit in the head. So I think that’s a really poor excuse or conversation being had.”

Lyon played 13 Tests with Hughes, and was on the field at the SCG the day he died.

Lyon will meet with Australia’s medical staff on Sunday to map out a recovery plan, but said he was shattered by the prospect his series was likely over.

“It’s been a lot more down than up,” Lyon said.

“I have been absolutely shattered. I have been in tears, I have been upset, I have been hurting. That shows this team means everything to me.

“And I will start this rehab journey now to get back and play my role and keep loving what I am able to do.”

“This is a little bump in the road. I can learn from it and get better. But right now, I am pretty shattered.”

Lyon’s wounded effort on Saturday was reminiscent of that Rick McCosker’s effort to bat with a broken jaw in the 1977 Centenary Test, helping Australia to a 45-run victory.

England great Colin Cowdrey also walked out to bat with a plastered broken arm at Lord’s in 1963, helping England save a Test against West Indies.

— AAP