Picture of delight: Lyon underlined why teammates name him GOAT with a masterly show of spin bowling. Here he celebrates Jadeja’s dismissal.
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy
Not for nothing is he referred to as GOAT by teammates. Over 100 Tests and greater than 450 scalps, Nathan Lyon continues to be buzzing.
His off-spin has flight, deception, flip and consistency. He imparts severe revs, spins the ball in the air, and his deliveries have dip and drift. You attain out for the ball and it’s not there. That’s Lyon holding the ball on a string!
Intense focus
His focus intense over lengthy spells, the 35-year-old Lyon took flight on day two of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at the Holkar Stadium right here on Thursday. His headline-grabbing eight for 64 has put Australia on the verge of victory.
Ahead in the first innings by 88, Australia dismissed India for 163 in the second innings. Australia’s goal to make the collection 2-1 on Friday is 76.
It was Lyon’s day. The classical off-spinner, pivoting superbly, and bowling with rhythm and ability, to derail the Indians was helped by some glorious attacking captaincy by Steve Smith.
Old warhorse: Cheteshwar Pujara saved the Aussies on their toes with a outstanding present of batsmanship.
| Photo Credit:
R. V. Moorthy
Old soldier Cheteshwar Pujara, with metal in his bones, impressed for India on a dusty floor the place the ball turned, jumped or saved low. While his defence was stable and performed with comfortable palms, Pujara drove, flicked, minimize and pulled with assurance.
He even jumped down and lifted Lyon for a six over broad long-on. It was the Pujara punch. He shortened his back-lift and his distribution of weight and footwork was supreme.
Eventually, he fell to a sensational reflex catch by Smith at leg slip as Pujara (59) flicked a Lyon supply spinning from center to leg.
Dramatic day
The dramatic day had a number of phases. Tactics modified in a cat and mouse race. The Indians attacked after Tea. Shreyas Iyer, twice, pulled Matthew Kuhnemann for sixes. Smith turned to Mitchell Starc. Shreyas (26 off 27) flicked the left-arm fast however Usman Khawaja plucked an astonishing catch at mid-wicket.
Among the subsequent batters, solely R. Ashwin, who has the reward of timing, managed to make an impression. Others discovered Lyon, who bought his deliveries to spin, straighten or drift away, an excessive amount of to deal with.
Earlier, Shubman Gill’s charge-and-heave at Lyon was midsummer insanity. Lyon bought rid of Rohit Sharma, taking part in throughout, whilst the supply held its line. Kuhnemann despatched again Virat Kohli with a supply that skidded by means of. Ravindra Jadeja performed down the incorrect line to a Lyon supply that drifted in.
In the morning, Handscomb, who has fluent footwork towards spin, and Cameron Green, held agency.
Meltdown
Australia was comfortably positioned at 186 for 4 when the spin-pace mixture of Ashwin, troubling batters from round-the-wicket angle, and the red-hot Umesh Yadav tangoed with lethal impact as the guests misplaced their final six wickets for 11 runs to be bowled out for 197 in an all too acquainted meltdown.
Ashwin spun one from center to leg to take away Handscomb (19) after which bought a supply to fatally drift into the left-handed Alex Carey.
Umesh, bowling with velocity and reverse swing, took out Green (21) and knocked out Starc’s off-stump for his a centesimal Test wicket in India.
Then, Lyon assumed centre-stage.
