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Lyon knows better than to underestimate the rest of the lethal weapons that IND hold in their squad, and dealing with all of them in the best possible manner would be the course of action from his side.
Nathan Lyon (L) vs Rishabh Pant (R) will be a contest to watch out for in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024. (Image: AFP)
Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli are stand-out performers in their own right. Still, one cannot disregard the ‘team of superstars’ India possesses said AUS spinner Nathan Lyon on Wednesday.
In the buildup to the Border Gavaskar Trophy and post India’s emphatic 295-run with the series-opener in Perth, the chatter has revolved around specific Indian players including Kohli and Bumrah.
But, Lyon knows better than to underestimate the rest of the lethal weapons that IND hold in their squad, and dealing with all of them in the best possible manner would be the course of action from his side.
“I look at the Indian squad and see a group of superstars. Cricket, however, is a team game, winning requires the entire side to perform well. India boasts extraordinary players like Bumrah and others, but it’s not just about the superstars,” Lyon said ahead of the pink ball Test here.
“The rest of the Indian squad is also incredibly talented. They’re an incredible cricket team. We’re not focusing solely on any one player, that’s for sure.
“We have nothing but respect for every Indian cricketer who takes the field on Friday. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to compete. We respect them, but we’re determined to play our brand of cricket and compete hard against a quality side. India is one of the best teams in the world,” he added.
Seasoned India off-spinner R Ashwin, who has 536 Test wickets, could not find space in India’s playing XI in Perth with the tourists opting to play all-rounder Washington Sundar as the sole spin option.
The fact that India could afford to allow such weapons to rest and rely on other talent speaks to the quality that shines thriughout the squad, stated Lyon.
“More than surprises me. But the quality of Indian cricketers that they got in that squad, don’t they? You’ve got Ashwin with 530 odd wickets and then you got Ravindra Jadeja over 300 wickets or whatever it may be.
“So it’s pretty remarkable to see the quality of player that are sitting on the bench. But I can’t control with who they run out, but it would be a good challenge, no matter who they bring out,” Lyon said.
The second Test, a pink-ball day-and-night encounter, begins on December 6, this Friday.
