I Have Already Come Up With A Couple Of Different Plans For Him: Nathan Lyon On Ajinkya Rahane

Champion Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has heaped high praise on Indian skipper Ajinkya Rahane for the manner he blunted his threat in the Boxing Day Test besides revealing that he already has come up with two different plans for Rahane for the upcoming Tests.

Ajinkya Rahane played an ultimate captain’s knock of 112 in the Boxing Day Test. Coming into bat with India reeling at 3/64, the Indian skipper showed immense grit, courage, resilience, and patience to not only help the visitors overhaul Australia’s total but also eke out an eventual match-winning lead of 131.

“I think Rahane played me extremely well in Melbourne so I know I have already come up with a couple of different plans for him and a few different guys, so I am looking forward to putting them in place,” Nathan Lyon said in a virtual press conference.

Lyon further added that he and the team-management are satisfied with the way the bowling group has bowled thus far.

“To be honest with you, I think we have been pretty happy with our bowling as a squad. To take 20 wickets quite quickly in Adelaide and then to be challenged a little bit in Melbourne and to stay there and keep creating chances was a positive, so we are very confident as a bowling group,” added Nathan Lyon.

The legendary off-spinner heaped high praise on Ajinkya Rahane’s ability to stay calm and unflustered in the cauldron, a facet of his personality that he showed to the hilt during his knock in Melbourne.

“He is, obviously, a world-class batter which, obviously, helps with everything. I think his patience that he shows out in the crease, he doesn’t seem to get flustered too much, he doesn’t buy into any sledging or any conversation out there in the middle. He is a pretty calm and collected batter,” added Lyon.

Lyon, who has dismissed Rahane the most number of times in Test cricket (9), signed off by saying that Australia have got their plans ready to nullify the threat of the Indian middle-order batsman.

“He is standing up as a leader at the moment so I know we will have our plans ready to, hopefully, combat him come the SCG Test,” signed off Lyon.

Also Read: Nathan Lyon Suggests Australia Are Ready To Take On Rohit Sharma