Nathan Lyon. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
Legendary Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has recently revealed about keeping spin bowling cool for the next generation as Lyon approaches a milestone that could see him join the late Shane Warne as one of Australia’s top two wicket-takers in history.
The sudden loss of Warne in 2022 left a void in the cricketing world, particularly in the spin bowling. Warne had not only revived the art in the 1990s but had also inspired several bowlers to follow in his footsteps. Now, Lyon finds himself at the forefront of carrying that legacy forward.
“I do see the responsibility of flying the flag for the spinners around the country, there is no hiding behind that. Especially with the passing of Warnie, I feel like there is a big role for me to ensure that spin stays cool. I am not cool in any way, but if I can try and promote spin bowling and promote how great it is to be a spin bowler … it’s pretty cool,” Lyon said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Tanveer Sangha is a class legspinner: Nathan Lyon
The 36-year-old veteran’s career shows no signs of slowing down. With 530 Test wickets to his name, he is just 33 away from Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563. The upcoming Test series against India and Sri Lanka is an opportunity for Lyon to register his name even deeper into the Australian cricket history.
Lyon played 100 consecutive Tests before a calf injury during last year’s Ashes series. This consistency has been a key to Australia’s recent successes. Lyon credits a conversation with his father for helping him understand the broader impact of his role.
“Just having that conversation and understanding we’re role models in so many different ways to so many different people around the world. And if we can do our little bit to hopefully make people better cricketers or people, we’re doing our job,” he added.
He also expressed admiration for young talents like Todd Murphy and Tanveer Sangha, and Lyon described the latter as a superstar of the game in the making.
“What he can offer for New South Wales and Australia going forward is going to be nothing but amazing. I am a big fan of the way he goes about it, he is a class legspinner, and he is very confident in his skill set. He’s going to be a superstar of the game. I try and help him get better, and he helps me get better as well,” Lyon concluded.