'Haven’t played Murali or Shane Warne. But for me, Lyon is...': Rohit Sharma's imposing remark on AUS' Indore Test hero
After the Test, where Lyon was presented with the Player of the Match award, India captain Rohit Sharma was effusive in his praise for the Australia star.
Nathan Lyon was Australia's hero in their emphatic nine-wicket win in against India in Indore in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Lyon picked 11 wickets in the match as Australia did not just pull one back in the contest, but also secured their place in the World Test Championship final. After the Test, where Lyon was presented with the Player of the Match award, India captain Rohit Sharma was effusive in his praise for the Australia star.
Lyon picked three wickets in first innings as Australia folded India for just 109 runs on Day 1. In the second innings, he picked up a record eight-wicket haul as the tourists set themselves a target of just 76 runs. His tally of 11 wickets made his the highest wicket-taker in the history of Border-Gavaskar trophy as he went part India legend Anil Kumble.
Rohit, who was dismissed for 12 runs by Lyon in the second innings of the Indore Test, rated the Aussie off-spinner as the best overseas bowler to have ever toured India. Statistically speaking, Lyon's tally of 53 wickets against India in India is presently the best ever by an Aussie bowler and second-best by a visiting bowler since DL Underwood (54) of England.
“He should be at the top in my opinion. Obviously I haven't played guys like Murali or Shane Warne. But among the current crop, he would probably be the No.1 overseas bowler to come and play in India,” Rohit said in the post-match presser.
The India opener then explained what makes Lyon so threatening as a spinner.
“He has got so much consistency in his line and length. When you have someone with that amount of accuracy, you need to try and do something different in terms of scoring runs because you know he will not give you anything easy. This is probably his third tour to India. I wasn't part of team during his first tour but I watched the game. He is a very experienced bowler and is not afraid of getting hit. That gives the captain a lot of confidence because he knows he has a guy who that he is going to pitch it there and let the pitch do the remaining,” he explained.
