India vs Australia | Important to have good spinners in World Cup squad, believes Nathan Lyon

India vs Australia | Important to have good spinners in World Cup squad, believes Nathan Lyon

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Nathan Lyon has underlined the fact that it will be important for all the teams to have a couple of good spinners in their team during the upcoming World Cup. The offie has also added that he is trying to have some more variations in his bowling to succeed in the limited-over formats.

Unlike India, the Aussies are not playing their last international series in India before the World Cup as they will have a series against Pakistan after the current one is done and dusted. However, the Aussies are also trying to get their combination right for the grand event starting in a few months from now. In the current ODI series against India, they are trailing 2-0 after winning the T20I series. Aaron Finch tried out both Lyon and Adam Zampa in the playing XI in the Nagpur ODI where the off-spinner claimed one wicket giving away only 42 runs. On the other hand, leggie Zampa picked up two wickets but proved a bit expensive as he gave away 62 runs in his 10 overs.

Lyon has now stated that it will be really crucial for the teams preparing for the World Cup to have a couple of good spinners in their squad and even cited the example of the Indian team.

“I think it is a pretty important balance to have, a couple of really good spinners to have in your side. Look at India, they have a couple of really good ones. Kuldeep, his skills are unbelievable but their reliance on Jadeja has been quite impressive as well,” Lyon said during the press conference ahead of the Ranchi ODI.

“I think it is very important for any international side to have a couple of decent spinners going into the World Cup.”

In the Australian limited-overs team, Zampa and Lyon fight for a place in the playing XI when there is a requirement of only one spinner for a match. The off-spinner, meanwhile, has said that he is trying to bring in more variations in his bowling to do well in limited-overs cricket and compete against the wrist spinners.

“Wrist spinners are a valuable part to any side but I am working on a couple of variations to make sure I am keeping up with the game. The game is moving so fast. This is a great opportunity for everyone to learn,” explained Lyon.

“It hasn’t put any extra pressure. Really enjoy playing the shorter formats and being in coloured clothing for Australia. For me, it is just about enjoying the challenge and trying to get better in shorter formats. Yes, there is added pressure I guess but none I am putting on myself.”

Australia will face India in the do-or-die encounter in Ranchi today as they are trailing 2-0 in the five-match ODI series in India. After MS Dhoni-Kedar Jadhav show in the first game, the Nagpur ODI went all down to the wire but the visitors lost two wickets in the last over when 11 runs were required and got all-out while chasing. 

“We are playing against one of the best sides in the world. Choke is a pretty strong word, we are a young cricket side, we are trying to get better and we are learning about the game on the training field,” the spinner said.

“It has been a close contest if you actually break down the games — I have just come from a team meeting — into all the little numbers we look at, it is quite close. I think a lot of people will be surprised as to how close it is. So there is a great feeling inside the Australian change room at the moment, a lot of belief.”

Speaking about the “MS Dhoni Pavilion” at the JSCA Cricket Stadium, the offie commented, “I don’t think it will be grand anywhere in the world that will have my name on it. But obviously, MS Dhoni and Nathan Lyon are two different characters. He is an absolute legend and I am not comparing myself to him.”

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