In what could very well be the last home Test series against India for Nathan Lyon, the 36-year-old off-spinner aims to finish “ten years of unfinished business” in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
For the first time since 1992, India and Australia will compete in a five-match Test series. Australia will host India in a long five-Test series, starting November 22 in Adelaide and concluding with the New Year’s Test in January in Sydney.
It’s been nearly a decade since Australia defeated India in a Test series. Australia’s last Test series win over India was in the 2014/15 home series, and since then they have lost four consecutive series against the Asian giants, including two at home. India are the only Asian side in history to record at least one Test series win on Australian soil; they have two on their last two trips and would be aiming for a hat-trick in the upcoming series.
Lyon, who sits with 530 wickets in 129 Tests, is one of the few players from that 2014/15 series who will feature in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series.
“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,” Lyon was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
India Is An Extremely Challenging Side: Nathan Lyon Eyes a Revenge in Border Gavaskar Trophy
Lyon has a great record against India: 121 wickets, the most he’s taken against any opposition, in 27 Tests at an average of 31 with nine five-wicket hauls.
He understands how challenging it is to tackle the Indian team, but the off-spinner remains optimistic about Australia’s chances to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“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.”
“It feels like we are a different team to a couple of years ago, we are on a journey to 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 reveals chats with England’s Tom Hartley
Lyon got some intel on India’s batters from England’s left-arm spinner Tom Hartley when the duo recently played together for Lancashire in the County Championship.
Hartley toured India earlier this year and played a crucial role in England’s win in the Hyderabad Test by taking a seven-wicket haul. He finished as the second-highest wicket-taker of the series with 22 scalps.
“I had some really good chats with Tom Hartley about different ways he went about it to different guys, which I found quite interesting.”
“I love talking about cricket, so if I can talk to someone who has played Test cricket, I might be able to pick up something I’m not aware of. There’s so much knowledge floating around this game that we can always tap into.”
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