Nathan Lyon, Australian off-spinner issued a warning for Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara by saying that the hosts have more surprises lined up for India’s Test specialist.
Ahead of the four-Test series of Border-Gavaskar Trophy, all eyes were on India’s Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara, who is one of the best batsmen in Test cricket.
Nathan Lyon: Cheteshwar Pujara Is A World Class Batsman But Australia Have Plans As They Spoke About Him In-Depth Before Series
During India’s last tour of Australia, which India won 2-1, to win maiden Test series in Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara played a key role as he was the highest run-getter in the tournament amassing 521 runs from 4 games. However, he didn’t look in the best of form in the Adelaide Test where he scored 43 in first innings and bagged a duck in second.
Cricket fans got to see an entertaining contest between Cheteshwar Pujara and Nathan Lyon with the latter having the last laugh by dismissing him in 1st innings after a modest 43. Ahead of the Melbourne Test, Nathan Lyon said that Australia led by Tim Paine have more surprises lined up for Cheteshwar Pujara.
“I can’t reveal secrets, to be honest with you. But, obviously Pujara is a world-class batter and he is going to be a big challenge for us for the rest of the series,” 33-year-old Nathan Lyon said at a virtual press-conference on Wednesday.
“We spoke about him (Pujara) in depth before the series started, it was good to see a couple of plans come off in Adelaide, but we have got a couple more things.”
After a decent performance in the first innings, Cheteshwar Pujara was dismissed without scoring in the second innings as Australian pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ran riot in the morning session to reduce the visitors to their lowest-ever Test innings total of 36. Australia easily won the 1st Test by 8 wickets as they chased down comfortably the target of 90 eventually going 1-0 up in the 4 match Test series.
Nathan Lyon: Fun To Challenge Against Cheteshwar Pujara Who Is One Of The Best Players In World
Nathan Lyon added that it was always fun to challenge the best batsmen in the world and Cheteshwar Pujara is definitely one of them.
“So, hopefully if he does get in, we can put into ploy…it is always fun challenging yourself against the best players in the world and Pujara is definitely one of those guys,” added the senior spinner – who is nine wickets shorts of completing 400 wickets in the five-day format.
The Indian team management reportedly sent out a strong message to Cheteshwar Pujara as well as stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane – who were both dismissed without scoring in the second innings of the opening Test. At Melbourne, the onus will be on them to do most of the scoring in the absence of India’s talismanic captain Virat Kohli – who has returned to India to attend the birth of his first child.
Senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has also been ruled out of the remainder of the tour as he will miss last 3 Tests after fracturing his wrist during the Adelaide Test.
The Indian team management is likely to make several changes for the Boxing Day Test after the side’s embarrassing 8-wicket defeat in Adelaide. Likes of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have a chance to be back in Test fold while there could be debuts for Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj. India play three more Tests at Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane where Ajinkya Rahane would lead them.