Nathan Lyon achieved a rare feat for an overseas bowler in India on Day 2 of third Test at Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore. Lyon has become the third overseas bowler to take 50 or more wickets on Indian pitches. Lyon achieved the milestone in the third session with Ravichandran Ashwin's wicket to complete his fifer.
Before Lyon, the only Australian bowler to achieve the feat was Richie Benaud. The leg-spinner had 52 wickets from just eight Tests including five five-wicket hauls. The top spot is occupied by former England spinner Derek Underwood. The left-arm spinner has 52 wickets from 16 Tests including just one five-wicket haul. Now, Lyon has 53 wickets from 10 Tests including five fifers.
Lyon reached the 50-wicket mark in his 10th Test on Indian soil. The 35-year-old spinner also surpassed former Sri Lanka cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan to become second-highest wicket-taker against India in Tests. Now, only England's 40-year-old James Anderson is ahead of him on the list with 139 wickets from 35 Tests including six-fifers.
Lyon took three wickets in the first innings and played second fiddle to Matthew Kuhnemann as India were bundled out for 109 within two sessions. In India's second innings on Day 2, Lyon started off with the wicket of opener Shubman Gill who decided to dance down the wicket and got bowled.
Watch: Mitchell Starc continues to bowl despite blood dripping from his injured finger
His eight-fer included skipper Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, wicketkeeper-batter Srikar Bharat, Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj. He came round the wicket to Rohit and beat his bat. The opener opted for review but it showed three reds. Jadeja got lbw as well. Lyon bowled an arm ball that skidded off the track and hit the pad. Lyon continued with the angle to right-handed batter Bharat. The arm ball beat the outside edge and crashed into off stump. He hit Ashwin's pad as well but the umpire Joel Wilson was not convinced. Skipper Steve Smith reviewed it and the decision was overturned.
