Nathan Lyon is second-highest wicket-taker vs India in Tests: Stats
Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon can be a major nemesis for visitors India in the upcoming five-Test series, starting on November 22 at Perth's Optus Stadium. Notably, he is the second-highest wicket-taker versus India in the longest format. Lyon has also enjoyed immense success on Australian tracks and his stellar numbers state the same. Here we decode his Test record against the Indian side.
Second-most Test wickets vs India
Lyon owns the most wickets by a spinner against India in Test cricket. The off-spinner has scalped 121 wickets across 27 Tests against the Indians at 31.56. Nine of his 24 Test fifers have been recorded versus India (10WM: 2). No other bowler has even eight fifers against the opposition. On the overall list, the Australian is only behind former England seamer James Anderson, who owns 149 wickets against India in the format.
Most Test wickets by a visiting bowler in India
Lyon has taken 56 wickets in 11 Test matches on Indian soil, the most for a visiting bowler. As per ESPNcricinfo, he has an average of 27.35 in India, with five fifers and one 10-wicket haul to his name. Former Australian leg-spinner Richie Benaud is the only other foreign bowler to have taken as many Test fifers in India.
60 wickets vs India at home
At home, Lyon owns 60 wickets versus India at 37.11 (15 matches). Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (65) is the only spinner more Test wickets at home against India. Meanwhile, four of Lyon's five-wicket hauls against India have come at home.
Lyon also owns these feats vs India
Lyon claimed 7/152 vs India in the fourth innings of the 2014 Adelaide Test. These are the best figures by an Australian spinner versus India at home. He finished that game with figures worth 12/286. Bruce Reid (12/126 in Melbourne, 1991) is the only other Australian to claim 12 or more wickets in a home Test against India. Besides Lyon and Reid, Ernie Toshack, Craig McDermott, and Glenn McGrath are the other Australians with twin fifers against India at home.
Lyon's overall Test career
Overall, in his Test career, Lyon has taken 530 wickets from 129 Tests at an average of 30.28. This includes 24 five-wicket hauls and five match 10-fers. The veteran still trails behind Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708), Anderson (704), Anil Kumble (619), Stuart Broad (604), McGrath (563) and Ravichandran Ashwin (536) in terms of Test wickets.
