Learnt a lot from Ashwin, says Lyon

Australian spin ace Nathan Lyon, who is approaching the landmark of 500 Test wickets, said his spin twin Ravichandran Ashwin is someone whom he has watched closely from the start of his career and he has been one of his “biggest coaches”. Australia will take on Pakistan in the first of the three-match Test series, in Perth on Thursday. Lyon, who is currently at 496 wickets in 122 Tests, will make his return to Test cricket after suffering a serious calf injury during the Ashes against England in June. “You look at Ashwin, he is a world-class bowler and somebody I have watched closely from the start of his career,” Lyon was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au ahead of his return to Test cricket. “We have gone head-to-head many times in different conditions around the world. I have nothing but respect for Ashwin and the way he has gone about it. I have definitely learned from him. There is an opportunity to learn from the people you play against, and without knowing it he has probably been one of my biggest coaches in a way,” Lyon said. “It is pretty amazing to see we are both creeping up to that 500 mark, and we will see where we end up. Hopefully, at the end of our career we will sit down and have a nice feed and a beer and talk about it,” the New South Welshman added. Ashwin, who made his Test debut in the same year as Lyon, also has 489 wickets in 94 matches. He is the ninth-highest wicket-taker in Tests while the 36-year-old Lyon sits one spot above at number eighth. Twenty years ago, late Aussie spin great Shane Warne and Sri Lankan spin wizard Muthiah Muralidaran were in a race to becoming the first-ever spinner to get 500 Test wickets. In contemporary cricket, Ashwin and Lyon are among the top brackets when it comes to quality spin bowling and have terrorised the best batting line-ups with their trickery and skills. They are also in a race now to accomplish 500 Test wickets. The last time, it was Warnie who