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Australian spin maestro Nathan Lyon has expressed immense admiration for Indian off-spinner R Ashwin, ahead of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy scheduled to commence on November 22. In an exclusive interview with Star Sports, Lyon reflected on his longstanding rivalry with Ashwin, acknowledging the Indian spinner's exceptional skill and competitive spirit. Lyon, who embarked on his Test career around the same time as Ashwin, highlighted the fierce yet respectful competition between the two spinners over the years. Ashwin's achievement of 500 Test wickets earlier this year during the series against England, and Lyon's own impressive tally of 530 Test wickets, solidify their status as two of the most formidable off-spinners in modern cricket.
I feel like I love watching R Ashwin bowl: Nathan Lyon
As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy approaches, cricket enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating another chapter in the illustrious rivalry between Lyon and Ashwin. The four-match series is expected to feature intense battles between the two spinners, potentially influencing the outcome of the series.
"I know Ashwin and we debuted around similar times and we've competed against each other in a number of series now and between me and Ashwin I have got nothing but respect for him. I feel like I love watching him bowl, he's an absolute master in the craft of off-spin bowling and it's been an absolute privilege to play against him and learn off him," Lyon told Star Sports.
Lyon recognized Ashwin's exceptional skills and expressed his enthusiasm for facing the Indian team, which he described as a star-studded lineup. Lyon emphasized that competing against the best, including Ashwin, has always been a source of motivation for him
“I've always said throughout my whole career I want to compete against the best and you look through the whole Indian line-up, the whole squad, there's absolute superstars everywhere you look and you want to compete and challenge yourself against them..." Lyon added.
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Further adding to the anticipation, Australia's star batsman Marnus Labuschagne shared his views with Star Sports, highlighting the formidable Indian pace bowling attack. Labuschagne noted that India's pace bowlers, renowned for their effectiveness in Australian conditions, pose a significant challenge.
"To these two teams, it doesn't matter where we're playing, if it's in England, Australia, or India, it's always a tough contest. India's fast bowling is very good, which is really what brings them into Australian conditions and makes them such a tough team to beat in Australian conditions. Hopefully this summer we can turn the tables on India and put them under real pressure," Labuschagne said.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 will kick off in Australia on November 22 in Perth, followed by a Day/Night Test in Adelaide on December 6. Brisbane will host the third Test on December 14, while the MCG and SCG will host the fourth and fifth Tests on December 26 and January 3, respectively. India have enjoyed success in their last two Test series in Australia. However, Australia have not won a home Test series against India in over a decade, with their last victory coming in the 2014/15 series.
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