“Nothing but respect”, Aussie Nathan Lyon opens up on R Ashwin retirement

IND vs AUS: Nathan Lyon and R Ashwin were spotted having a chat during practice on final day of Brisbane Test, on Wednesday.

After R Ashwin announced his retirement on Wednesday, after the 3rd IND vs AUS Test, it was only fair that fellow off-spinner Nathan Lyon shared a few words about the legends. Despite being fierce competitors the duo share a good bond, and on numerous occasions have been spotted chatting together.

Nathan Lyon on R Ashwin

Speaking to Fox Cricket, Lyon said: “Nothing but respect (for Ashwin). Just the way Ash has conducted himself on and off the field for a number of years now, and his skill set is incredible. We’ve got different opinions on different things, there’s no right or wrong. But to have those conversations with a bowler like Ashwin is amazing.”

“We are both very different. So our conversation this morning was brilliant and I hope we have more through the series and in the future as well,” Lyon said.

Lyon Left “Scratching His Head”

Lyon had a take on Ashwin missing out on the Perth and Brisbane Tests. In fact, he hinted, that it could have given some sort of an advantage to the Aussies. “It’s an interesting question. You’ve got someone sitting [on the bench] with 530-odd Test wickets and I’m walking to the ground, scratching my head saying ‘What are you doing?’. He’s proven that he is one of the world’s best spin bowlers to ever play the game.”

“[It] more than surprises me (that Ashwin didn’t play). That’s the quality of Indian cricketers they have in that squad. You’ve got Ashwin with 530-odd wickets [536] and then Jadeja over 300 wickets [319]. It’s pretty remarkable to see the quality of players sitting on the bench. It’s a good headache to have.”