Nathan Lyon opens up about comparisons with Shane Warne
What's the story
Nathan Lyon, a renowned figure in modern-day cricket, has candidly discussed the challenges he faced due to constant comparisons with the late Shane Warne.
Despite his impressive record of 530 wickets in 129 Test matches for Australia, Lyon admitted to feeling overshadowed by the legendary leg-spinner's legacy.
He described the early days of his career as particularly difficult due to intense scrutiny from both media and Australian cricket fans.
Acknowledgment
Lyon acknowledges Warne's unique talent and legacy
In a conversation with Sky Cricket, Lyon acknowledged the unique talent of Warne, stating that replicating his feats was an impossible task.
The off-spinner referred to Warne as a "once-in-a-generation player" and the "greatest to play the game."
Despite these pressures, Lyon's primary goal was to make his family and Warne proud by giving his best on the field.
Pressure
Lyon's journey to embracing pressure as privilege
Lyon revealed that even after a decade representing Australia, he still feels overshadowed by Warne's legacy.
However, he has learned to view this pressure as a privilege and is comfortable with the comparisons now.
"A lot of us felt the pressure of Shane Warne's shadow... and it probably took me a good five, six, seven years to understand that pressure is a privilege," Lyon said.
Notably, Warne finished his career with 708 Test wickets at 25.41.
Stats
Here are his overall stats
As mentioned, Lyon has scalped 530 wickets in 129 Tests, averaging 30.28.
He has scalped 24 Test fifers and five match 10-wicket hauls.
Earlier this year, Lyon went past Courtney Walsh (519) to become the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Tests.
Among off-spinners, only Sri Lankan legend Muthiah Muralidaran (800) has more wickets in the Test format.