NEW DELHI: As the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar
Test series
between India and
Australia
approaches, Australian off-spinner
Nathan Lyon
has already begun preparing to face India's rising batting star,
Yashasvi Jaiswal
. The series, which comprises five Tests, is set to start on November 22.
Lyon, with an impressive record, is diligently studying Jaiswal, who has emerged as a crucial player for India following a remarkable debut and exceptional performances.
Yashasvi Jaiswal made a sensational Test debut with a century against the West Indies last year and followed it up with a stunning 712 runs in a five-Test series against England earlier this year. However, the 21-year-old batsman will encounter new challenges on Australia's fast and bouncy pitches, which have traditionally tested visiting batsmen.
"I haven't come across him [Jaiswal] yet, but that will be a massive challenge for all us bowlers," Lyon was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "The way he played against England, I watched that quite closely and thought that was quite amazing."
The experienced spinner shared that he has been discussing strategies with England's left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who played against India in the recent series, gaining direct experience bowling to Jaiswal. "I had some really good chats with
Tom Hartley
about different ways he went about it to different guys, which I found quite interesting," Lyon said.
Lyon's stint with Lancashire during the English county season allowed him to share insights with Hartley, who took 20 wickets in four Tests against India. Known for his thorough preparation, Lyon believes that the wealth of information available in modern cricket gives Australia the best chance to end their "unfinished business" with India.
Since their 2-0 victory in the 2014-15
Border-Gavaskar series
, Australia have struggled to regain the trophy, losing the last four series to India. Lyon emphasized the importance of turning the tide, especially on home soil.
"It's been ten years of unfinished business, it's been a long time, and I know we're extremely hungry to turn things around, especially here at home," he said. "Don't get me wrong, India is an absolute superstar side and extremely challenging, but I'm extremely hungry to turn things around and make sure we get that trophy back."
Lyon also highlighted the difference in the current Australian team under
Pat Cummins
compared to previous sides that lost to India.
"We feel like we are a different team to a couple of years ago. We are on a journey of becoming a great Australian cricket team. We're definitely not there, but we are along that journey and have been playing some decent cricket," Lyon concluded.
With both teams determined to prove their superiority, the upcoming series promises to be another thrilling chapter in the storied India-Australia rivalry.
English (US) ·