Nathan Lyon: Decoding his staggering stats in WTC 2021-23 cycle
What's the story
Nathan Lyon was instrumental to Australia's triumph in the recently-concluded ICC World Test Championship. The veteran off-spinner delivered consistently throughout the 2021-23 cycle and finished as the highest wicket-taker. He even claimed five wickets versus India in the summit clash which includes a four-fer (4/41) in the fourth innings. Here we decode Lyon's magnificent numbers in the 2021-23 cycle.
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88 wickets in the cycle
As mentioned, Lyon finished the cycle as the highest wicket-taker, scalping 88 wickets in just 20 Tests at a brilliant average of 26.12. No other bowler could scalp even 70 wickets in this cycle. South African speedster Kagiso Rabada (67 wickets) trails Lyon in this regard. Pat Cummins (57) and Mitchell Starc (55) were the other Australians with 50-plus wickets in the cycle.
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Most fifers in the competition
Lyon claimed five fifers in the cycle, most for any bowler. No other player could even scalp four five-wicket hauls. Meanwhile, the off-spinner was the only Australian with a match 10-fer in the cycle as he claimed 11/99 versus India in the Indore Test earlier this year. His 8/64 in India's second innings of that game are the third-best figures in the cycle.
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His numbers in home and away Tests
At home, Lyon snapped 38 wickets in 10 Tests at 23.50 (5W: 1). Only Ravichandran Ashwin (51) and James Anderson (42) returned with more home wickets in the cycle. Lyon's tally of 45 wickets in nine away Tests is the most for any bowler (5W: 4, 10W: 1). The WTC final was Lyon's neutral match in the cycle, wherein he claimed five wickets.
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A match-winning spell in the final
As the Oval track was assisting the Aussie pacers, Lyon bowled just four overs in India's first innings and returned with 1/19. He took the key wicket of Ravindra Jadeja. The offie was at his best in India's second innings as the pitch had a lot of wear and tear. The 35-year-old ran through India's lower order and returned with 4/41 in 15.3 overs.
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Third-highest wicket-taker for Australia in Test cricket
Lyon has been pivotal for Australia over the years. He is the third-highest wicket-taker for Australia in Test cricket. Overall, Lyon has snapped 487 wickets in 120 Test matches at an average of 31.03. He has registered 20 four-wicket hauls and 23 fifers in this format (10W: 4). Only Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563) are ahead of him in the wickets tally.