As the cricketing calendar comes closer to the headline Test event of the year, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy which is set to be played in Australia, one of the biggest contests fans will be excited to see is that between Nathan Lyon and Rishabh Pant. Nathan Lyon in an interview with Star Sports, explained what it was like facing Pant on the field. He also talked about how difficult it is to face someone like Pant and is eager to see him on the field for the Test series slated to begin in November, later this year.
The off-spinner Nathan Lyon stated that he intended to force Pant to defend more by keeping him inside the crease when taking wickets. As the anticipation around the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 grows, veteran Australian spinner Nathan Lyon explained his strategy to tackle star wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant’s attacking approach saying, “You got to be good to bowl against him”.
Rishabh Pant shines on his Test return
Rishabh Pant just played his first Test since his return to professional cricket from a life-threatening accident in December 2022. The Test match was against Bangladesh at Chennai where Pant registered scores of 39 and 109 across both the innings. In both the innings, Rishabh Pant looked at his aggressive best and it hardly seemed like he was playing his first Test match after a long time. He played both the spinners and fast bowlers with utmost ease and smashed runs all around the park in his trademark fashion.
India have won the Test series on their last two tours of Australia and Rishabh Pant is a big reason behind those victories. In the 2018-19 series, he emerged as the second-highest run-getter of the series with 350 runs in 4 Tests at an average of 58.33. In the 2020-21 series, the wicketkeeper-batter scored 274 runs in 3 Tests at an average of 68.50 and finished as the third-highest run-scorer of the series. The series also included the famous 89* at the Gabba which helped India win the historic series 2-1.
However, ahead of the marquee series, veteran Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon has thrown an open challenge to an aggressive India batter. Nathan Lyon also discussed the strategy for bowling to an aggressive batter like Rishabh Pant. The offspinner mentioned focusing on delivering defensive lines to the Indian wicketkeeper in order to generate opportunities.
Nathan Lyon ready for battle against Rishabh Pant in BGT 2024-25
Veteran Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has opened up on his battle with Indian keeper-batter Rishabh Pant ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series later this year. While the New South Wales bowler said it’s fun to come across the left-hander, he reckons there is very little room for error against him.
Pant has enjoyed his battles with the Aussie bowler thus far in the two series both have faced off in. The off-spinner has got the better of the 26-year-old on five occasions. However, Pant averages 45.80 against his bowling alongside a strike rate of 65.99. It is likely to be one of the series-defining battles in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
Speaking to Star Sports, Nathan Lyon reflected that the southpaw has got all the skills in the world, but is not afraid even if he gets hit for a six. He said:
“Bowling to someone like Rishabh Pant – he is electric, isn’t he? He’s got all the skill in the world. As a bowler, your room for error is so small, so you got to be good. It’s a challenge. As a bowler, if I get hit for a six, I’m not afraid.
“As a challenge, I should try and keep someone like Rishabh in his crease and potentially try to get him to defend it and hopefully, create chances on the way. But it’s pretty fun.”
The 36-year-old was the highest wicket-taker during the last Test series held between the two sides as he took 22 scalps in four Tests at 22.36.
Nathan Lyon is extremely hungry for BGT 2024-25 success
With Australia losing the last four Test series to India, Lyon declared that he is hungry to see them regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He had said earlier, as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo:
“It’s been ten years of unfinished business, it’s been a long time, and I know we’re extremely hungry to turn things around especially here at home. Don’t get me wrong, India is an absolute superstar side and extremely challenging but I’m extremely hungry to turn things around and make sure we get that trophy back.”
The first of the five Tests between India and Australia begins on November 22 in Perth. As the cricketing calendar comes closer to the headline Test event of the year, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy which is set to be played in Australia, one of the biggest contests fans will be excited to see is that between Nathan Lyon and Rishabh Pant.