Melbourne: Australia’s premium spinner Nathan Lyon has missed the adrenaline rush of Test cricket. He has been away from the game due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nathan Lyon has however, said the break has rekindled his desire to go beyond 500 wickets in the format. Lyon is just four games short of playing 100 Tests. He has captured 390 wickets so far, the most by any Australian off-spinner.
“I still feel I’m getting better. I still feel like I’ve got a lot of cricket to offer to Cricket Australia,” Lyon was quoted as saying by ‘foxsports.com’. The interview will be shown Friday which incidentally is Lyon’s 33rd birthday. “Definitely 500 and beyond is on my radar,” he added.
Lyon will become just the 10th player in Australian history to reach 100 Tests, in the fourth and final match against India in Brisbane. It will be played early next year.
The veteran spinner last played a Test in January this year before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down cricket. Lyon said the break has made him hungrier to perform.
“Probably it’s driven my love for the game,” Lyon informed. “Without being able to play the game that you love so much and not being able to play that regularly. These two factors have driven my passion to get out there and that hunger to perform well again. The most I’ve missed is that pressure that comes along with playing Test cricket. I am missing that adrenaline,” the spinner added.
Lyon has snapped nine wickets in three games for New South Wales this season.
India’s tour begins November 27 with three ODIs and as many T20Is. The four-Test series begins in Adelaide, December 17.