WTC Final: Nathan Lyon has dismissed Virat Kohli seven times
What's the story
India are gearing up to take on Australia in the all-important ICC World Test Championship final, starting on June 7 at London's Kennington Oval. Eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who embraces playing against Australia and his numbers state the same. However, he has been troubled by off-spinner Nathan Lyon in the past. Here we decode their rivalry ahead of the WTC final.
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Joint-most dismissals against Kohli in Tests
Lyon has dismissed Kohli the joint-most number of times (7) in Test cricket, with James Anderson. The former, however, has the most dismissals against Kohli among spinners. Besides, Kohli has racked up 511 runs off 1,002 balls against Lyon in the longest format. The Indian batter has a strike rate of 50.99 against Lyon. The tally includes as many as 672 dot balls.
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Kohli tackled Lyon well in the BGT 2023
Notably, Kohli did not fall prey to Nathan Lyon even once in the Border-Gavaskar series in India earlier this year. He smoked 101 runs across six innings in this battle at a decent strike rate of 45.90. Meanwhile, the off-spinner has overall dismissed Kohli four times on Indian soil. The remaining three dismissals came Down Under.
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Kohli's numbers against off-spinners
Kohli has fallen to off-spinners 37 times in 105 Test innings. The Indian batter averages 48.70 against off-spinners with his strike rate being 56.73. Notably, off-spinner Moeen Ali has dismissed Kohli thrice in 10 Test innings in England. Young Aussie off-spinner Todd Murphy dismissed him four times in the Border-Gavaskar series earlier this year. These numbers would certainly boost Lyon's morale.
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His numbers against Australia
Kohli fancies taking on the Aussies across formats. In 24 Test matches against them, the Indian batter has smashed 1,979 runs at an average of 48.26. The tally includes eight centuries and five fifties. His Test record Down Under is even better. As many as 1,352 of his total runs have come in Australia. Kohli has smacked six centuries in Australia.
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Most wickets in the Border-Gavaskar series
Lyon has raced to 116 wickets in 26 Tests versus India at 32.4 (5W: 9, 10W: 2). No other bowler boasts more Test fifers versus India. While no other spinner owns more Test wickets against India, only England pacer Anderson (139) is ahead of him in the overall list. Lyon is also the leading wicket-taker in India versus Australia Tests.
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Here are their numbers in England
Kohli's overall tally in England reads 1,033 runs in 16 Tests at 33.32. The tally includes five fifties and a couple of tons. Kohli could only manage 249 runs at 27.66 in the 2021-22 Test series in the nation. As far as Lyon is concerned, he owns 45 wickets in 13 Tests in England at 31.62. The tally includes a fifer as well.
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A look at Kohli's Test stats
Kohli has raced to 8,416 runs in 108 Tests at 48.93. Besides 28 tons, he also carries 28 fifties. He owns 4,144 runs in 50 home Tests at 60.05. His tally of 14 Test tons at home is the fourth-most for an Indian. He has scored 4,215 runs at 41.73 in away Tests and 57 runs at 28.5 in his only neutral Test match.
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500 wickets loading for Lyon
Lyon has now raced to 482 wickets in 119 Tests at a 31-plus average (31.23). The tally includes 23 fifers (10W: 4). In terms of Test wickets, Lyon is behind Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708), Anderson (685), Anil Kumble (619), Stuart Broad (582), Glenn McGrath (563), and Courtney Walsh (519). He can touch the 500-wicket mark in Ashes 2023.
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