The game of cricket has seen multiple rivalries between two cricketers and two teams as well. Several famous duels in cricket have been discussed for a long time and the characteristics of such clashes have made these duels immortals.
Previously one such famous battle used to be the clash between former Australia spinner Shane Warne and former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
Facts and numbers
Warne picked up 708 Test wickets and Muralitharan on the other hand, had bagged 800 Test wickets. The former Sri Lankan is the leading wicket-taker of all time in Test cricket and Warne is at the second spot in the elite list.
In recent times, a similar battle has taken place between Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon.
Ashwin currently has 430 wickets in Test cricket and Lyon on the other hand has claimed 415 wickets in Test cricket till now.
While talking about the contest between the two spinners, Warne said that he hopes to see Ashwin and Lyon break his and Muralitharan’s records and claim 1000 Test wickets in future.
Warne's words
“I hope both Ashwin and Lyon do (break Warne and Muralitharan's record), because the more we see quality spin bowlers bowling, it makes for more interesting cricket. I think when you watch a pace bowler bowl real fast and a batter trying to take them on and then you see a really good spinner and that battle between him and a spinner.
“And you see that battle evolve. If you can see those two things in Test cricket, I think it becomes more entertaining. So if we can have that, then I hope Ashwin takes 1000 Test wickets, Lyon takes 1000 Test wickets. That would be fantastic," Warne was quoted while talking to Hindustan Times in an interaction.
"Ashwin is getting better and better. He has been fantastic. A true test of any cricketer is how they go away from home. Over a long period of time when you go to different countries and see how you perform overseas and then you end up having a record – both home and overseas, it gives you an idea as to how far you've come as a player. I am a big fan of Ashwin, the way he bowls. I think he is always trying to develop and explore different deliveries," the 52-year-old Aussie added.
