Australian player reveals pre-India ritual: Ravichandran Ashwin videos and a very patient wife

Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has revealed that he turned to Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for inspiration and learning before the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series in India. Lyon, who has been a stalwart of the Australian bowling unit at home and away, acknowledged his desire to continuously learn and improve his game, stating that he watched a lot of footage of Ashwin before traveling to India.

“I am a totally different bowler from Ash. Have I sat down and watched a lot of footage of Ashwin before coming over here? Yes, a 100 percent. I’ve spent a lot of time sitting at home in front of the laptop, driving my wife mad,” said Lyon in an interview with Star Sports.

Lyon, who has 461 wickets in 116 Tests, is only four wickets ahead of Ashwin, who went past the 450-wicket mark in the first Test in Nagpur. Despite the two off-spinners being compared often in the past, Lyon acknowledged that he and Ashwin were completely different bowlers, but he was willing to learn from the Indian off-spinner.

“The best thing about this game is that we are constantly learning, trying to grow and get better by watching your opposition and that’s one of the biggest learning curves,” Lyon added.

I can still get better- Lyon

Lyon also heaped praise on Ravi Ashwin, highlighting his eagerness to share knowledge with him, despite the talks of rivalry between the two spinners. “Sitting down and speaking to him, there’s been a lot that he’s taught me, and that’s just not for here but even in Australia. There are a couple of skillsets that Ash has which I would like to develop. That’s why I feel like I can still get better. So that’s what’s driving me,” Lyon said.

In the first Test in Nagpur, India rode on the heroics of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to decimate Australia by an innings and 132 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. Despite the loss, Lyon remains a crucial part of the Australian team and has 95 wickets in Tests against India, the most by an Australian in the elite list.

Lyon’s willingness to learn and improve his game from his contemporaries, like Ashwin, is a testament to his commitment to the sport and his hunger for success. With three Tests still remaining in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Lyon’s ability to adapt and learn from his opponents could be the key to Australia’s success in the series.