Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has expressed confidence in Australia’s chances of winning the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Set to start on November 22 in Perth, the five-match Test series will be an opportunity for Australia to claim their first series victory over India in a decade. Lyon, who is the leading wicket-taker in World Test Championship (WTC) history with 530 wickets in 129 Tests, believes Australia will whitewash India 5-0.
Speaking on a podcast, Lyon made a bold prediction, stating, “My prediction is 5-0 to Australia.” He added that he has been eyeing this series since watching England’s tour of India, and he is eager to help Australia regain the trophy. Australia last won a Test series against India in 2014-15, and Lyon sees the 2024-25 series as the perfect opportunity to end that drought.
Lyon, who has taken 121 wickets in 27 Tests against India, is especially looking forward to renewing his rivalry with Indian batting stars Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant. Pant’s inclusion in India’s squad for the Tests against Bangladesh adds extra excitement, according to Lyon. “Having Virat out here, Rishabh Pant… that’s an amazing story. It’s going to be pretty big,” Lyon said.
Lyon stressed the need for Australia’s top-order batsmen to deliver big scores if they are to dominate the series. He singled out Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Travis Head as key players who need to convert their starts into large centuries. “I don’t want 101 or 107; I want 180 and 200,” he emphasized, noting the importance of substantial contributions from the top order.
The veteran spinner also rejected claims that Test cricket is losing its appeal, pointing out the growing excitement surrounding the upcoming series against India. He said, “When people say that Test cricket is dying, I disagree. This series is in the back of people’s minds.”
Lyon, who is third on Australia’s all-time wicket-takers list, remains focused on helping his team secure victories. He mentioned that managing his workload is crucial for maintaining peak performance during the series. “If I will have a day off, I am pretty sure that I will be more effective and can help my team win the Test match,” he concluded.
Do you agree with Nathan Lyon?
