Australia's Nathan Lyon, center, holds the ball aloft after dismissing Pakistan's Faheem Ashraf to claim his 500th test match wicket during play on the fourth day of the first cricket test between Australia and Pakistan in Perth, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023. Australia defeated Pakistan by 360 runs. (Richard Wainwright/AAP Image via AP)Nathan Lyon wants Australian top-order batters to step up and score big hundreds against India in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series, which they haven’t won since 2014-15.
“We need big runs. We need the guys, who are talented enough to get the hundred,” Lyon replied to Australian women’s team captain Alysa Healy on the “Willow Talk” podcast.
“The likes of Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Travis Head, all the top order. I don’t want 101 or 107, I want 180 and 200.
“If I will have a day off, I am pretty sure that I will be more effective and can help my team win the Test match,” he added.
Nathan Lyon revealed he is already eagerly waiting for his battle against 22-year-old Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is known to strike the ball hard.
The Australian spinner said he had had a long chat with England left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, with whom he played at Lancashire during his county stint.
Chennai: Indian cricketer Yashasvi Jaiswal bats during a training session ahead of the first Test cricket match against Bangladesh, at MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (PTI Photo/R Senthilkumar)
“I had a really good chat with Tom Hartley, just about the way he went about it, when Jaiswal went after him. That’s something I picked up from him,” said Lyon.
“Will Sarfaraz come over here or will it be Rahul? They got a side full of superstars,” he added.
During the five-match series, Lyon said he is eager to renew his rivalry with Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant.
“Having Virat out here, Rishabh Pant has been picked for the Tests against Bangladesh, so that’s an amazing story. It’s going to be pretty big,” he said.
India and Australia will lock horns in a five-match Test series for the first time since 1991-92 with Perth hosting the first Test from November 22.
India’s players pose with the trophy after winning the The Border–Gavaskar series. (AP)
Lyon said he don’t believe with the opinion that the Test cricket is dying. He said: “I am really forward to play the five-match series. This series is getting bigger and bigger and when people says that Test cricket is dying, I disagree.”
“When you walk on the street and talk to the local people, they are already saying ‘India this summer eh’. This series is in the back of people’s mind.”
Australia have not won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 2014-15 when they won 2-0 and have suffered consecutive series defeats on home soil. In 2020-21, India came from 1-0 down after being bowled out for 36 in Adelaide to take the series with famous wins at the MCG and Gabba.
India and Australia will feature in the first five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series from November. (REUTERS)
“It’s been ten years since we have won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” said Lyon.
“I started thinking about this series when England were over in India, watching them to go about it. I love the game and I will watch a decent Test match but I have eyes on this series for a long time now,” he said.
Lyon said they would want to beat India 5-0 in the series.
“My prediction is 5-0 to Australia,” he said.
| Match | Date | Venue |
| 1st Test: Australia vs India | November 22-26, 2024 | Perth Stadium, Perth |
| 2nd Test (Pink Ball): Australia vs India | December 6-10, 2024 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide |
| 3rd Test: Australia vs India | December 14-18, 2024 | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| 4th Test: Australia vs India | December 26-30, 2024 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 5th Test: Australia vs India | January 3-7, 2025 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |
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