Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon had a poor tour of the UAE in 2014. The Aussies lost the series 2-0 as their ace off spinner picked up just three wickets in the two Test at an astronomical average of 140.
In that series against Pakistan, he was swept into oblivion by veterans Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq. Those are two of the finest players of spin of this generation but even so, for a spinner to be so poor in the UAE was difficult to digest.
It is four years since that ill-fated tour of the UAE. Since then, the spinner has blossomed into arguably the finest all-condition off-spinner in the world and is currently placed just ahead of India spinner Ravi Ashwin who disappointed in the England Test series.
After his 8-103 in the #PAKAvAUS tour match, Nathan Lyon's last 11 first-class bowling innings in Asia have seen him take:
— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) September 30, 2018
- 48 wickets at 18
- Six five-wicket hauls
- Two eight-fors
“I’m a different bowler from four years ago,” Lyon told Cricket Australia’s website. “I know I’m a lot more confident than what I was four years ago as well.
“The experience I’ve had in the last couple of Asian tours, hopefully that’ll put me in good stead. I know we’ve spoken about it as spinners, there’s no point hiding – I’m expecting them to come out and sweep.”
Lyon has become a force to be reckoned with in Asian conditions. During the 2016 Test series in India, Lyon picked up 19 wickets from four Tests while against Bangladesh, he captured an incredible 22 wickets from two matches.
Lyon uses overspin and bounce to great effect, attacking batsmen on any surface and proving difficult to hit. He is a classic round-arm offie which means he gets more loop on the ball than Ashwin, making him equally dangerous on turning and true surfaces.
During the two-Test series against Pakistan, the 30-year-old should be expected to show just how much he has improved as an off-spinner.
And he has made a perfect start to that mission by picking up eight wickets for just 103 in the first innings of the warm-up match against Pakistan ‘A’ in Dubai this week.
He has a score to settle in the UAE.
