R Ashwin has taught me a lot: Nathan Lyon praises ‘incredible’ India spinner

Australian veteran Nathan Lyon says he has learned a lot from ‘smart’ Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of the first Test of the five-match series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Their rivalry, which began in the 2011/12 series, has evolved into one of the most fascinating contests in modern Test cricket, with both spinners achieving significant milestones in their careers.

Lyon, who will face Ashwin once again this summer, reflected on their shared journey, noting that both bowlers made their Test debuts in the same year and reached the milestone of 500 Test wickets last season. However, it is Ashwin’s dominance over Lyon in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy that stands out. Ashwin outperformed the Australian spinners during that series, with Lyon only claiming nine wickets at an average of 55.11, while Ashwin was a key figure in India’s memorable series victory.

“Ash is an incredible bowler,” Lyon told Fox Cricket. “I’ve gone head-to-head with him for basically my whole career, so I’ve learned a lot from Ash. He’s an incredibly smart bowler, and he’s able to learn and adapt very quickly, and I think the best bowlers in the world are able to do that.”

Lyon’s praise for Ashwin comes as no surprise, given the significant influence Ashwin has had on his own career. The 36-year-old Australian acknowledged Ashwin as one of his most influential mentors, particularly during his preparations for tours to India. Lyon has often studied footage of Ashwin’s performances on the subcontinent’s spin-friendly pitches to understand his strategies and improve his own game.

“He’s taught me a lot,” Lyon admitted. “I’m a big believer that the players you compete against are your best coaches. I’ve watched a lot of his footage heading over to India, the way he goes about it here in Australia, and see if I can pick up anything.”

Both bowlers have excelled in their respective crafts, with Lyon generating overspin and bounce on Australian pitches, while Ashwin has honed his ability to bowl relentlessly with subtle variations, including his famous carrom ball. The contrasting styles of the two spinners make their head-to-head battles even more intriguing for fans.

Reflecting on his success on pitches that are less conducive to spin, Lyon jokingly referenced Indian star Ravindra Jadeja’s close watch on media reports, adding, “I know Jadeja reads all of this stuff, so I can’t really share all my secrets.”

However, Lyon did offer insight into his own approach: “My big thing is spinning up the back of the ball and getting bounce, but it’s a hard craft to be able to do that in Australia. Your margin for error is extremely small.”

As the series approaches, Lyon also acknowledged the challenge of facing a world-class Indian side. Despite Australia’s recent victory over India in the World Test Championship final, Lyon emphasized that India has had the upper hand in recent Border-Gavaskar series, with the Australians unable to claim a Test series win in India in nearly a decade.

“India’s got the wood over us in the past few series, but if you’re looking at the World Test Championship (final) in England, we were able to beat them there, and I know that should give us a bit of confidence heading into this summer,” Lyon said.

The Australian spinner is determined to turn the tide this summer, recognizing that while India remains a formidable opponent, his team has the potential to achieve something special. “I feel like we’re on the journey to becoming a great team. We’re not there yet, there’s a bit of work to do, but we have the opportunity to do something pretty special this summer.”

India, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, will be looking to bounce back from a 3-0 series whitewash to New Zealand on home soil, with their batters particularly vulnerable to spin. As the rivalry between Ashwin and Lyon continues, cricket fans can expect another thrilling chapter in one of the most enduring duels in modern Test cricket.