‘He’s once-in-a-generation, he’s the greatest to play the game’ – Nathan Lyon on comparisons with Shane Warne

Nathan Lyon. (Photo Sourcer: X(Twitter)

Nathan Lyon has represented Australia in 129 Test matches and has picked up 530 wickets at an average of 30.28. He is regarded as one of the best spinners in modern-day cricket but the start wasn’t very easy for the New South Wales-born cricketer. He was constantly compared with the late great Shane Warne, who is regarded as one of the greatest players to represent the sport.

Lyon recently opened up on the comparisons with Warne and stated that it was difficult for him to adjust to the pressure. He stated that the media and the Australian public were always in the hunt to find the next big spinner and the 36-year-old was always under the spotlight. Lyon noted that replicating Warne wasn’t possible as he’s a once-in-a-generation player and always tried to make his family and the former leg-spinner proud during his early days.

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“I probably struggled with it early doors because you would be trying your hardest every game but I feel like the media and the Australian public were asking who’s the next spinner, we need a spinner to do what Shane Warne did on the last day,” Lyon told Sky Cricket.

“And I’m 10 matches into my first-class career, I’m never going to be able to do what Warnie did. Warnie’s once-in-a-generation, he’s the greatest to play the game in my opinion and all I want to do is make my family proud, and make Shane Warne proud and just go out there and compete,” he added.

I still feel in the shadow of Shane Warne: Lyon

Despite representing Australia for over a decade, Lyon still feels to be in the shadow of Warne. Speaking on the same, the spinner mentioned that he is now comfortable with it and added that it took him quite a few years to understand that the pressure is a privilege that he is being compared with someone like Warne, who has 708 Test wickets to his name.

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“I still feel in the shadow of Shane Warne now and I’m 129 Test matches in with 530 wickets. The thing is I’m happy with that and I’m comfortable with that now. A lot of us felt the pressure of Shane Warne’s shadow… and it probably took me a good five, six, seven years to understand that pressure is a privilege. And if you’ve got pressure, you’re OK, you’re doing OK, enjoy it,” Lyon said.