How good can lyon become

[Fuller Pilch]

I think that Lyon is good for at least 400 Test wickets and will end up a comfortable 2nd to Warne as Australia's leading wicket taking spinner.

Australia's top spinners
1. Shane Warne (leg) 708 (wickets)
2. Richie Benaud (leg) 248
3. Clarrie Grimmett (leg) 216
4. Stuart MacGill (leg) 208
5. Nathan Lyon (off) 162*
6. Bill O’Reilly (leg) 144
7. Hugh Trumble (off) 141
8. Ashley Mallett (off) 132
9. Bruce Yardley (off) 126
10. Ian Johnson (off) 109
11. George Giffen (off) 103


Read more: Nathan Lyon tipped to become Australia's best ever off-spinner
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We will have a better idea in a couple of months - Bangladesh and NZ are pretty good against conventional spin, although express pace can be a big challenge.

 

[Hurricane]

Needs to work on his intelligence to get to 300 wickets let alone 400 wickets. Very rarely out thinks his opponent although sometimes does lay painfully obvious traps that people walk into.
He gives it a rip and is accurate though and that is all that Swann did really.
If he gets persevered with when he loses form he could maybe make 300. 400 is beyond his capabilities unless he spends a long time talking to some of Australia's legendary spinners.

 

[mr_mister]

I think he'll get 400 just based on his age and the current stocks(or lack of)

 

[marc71178]

We will have a better idea in a couple of months - Bangladesh and NZ are pretty good against conventional spin, although express pace can be a big challenge.

Oh yes, ignore the 46 Tests he's played all round the world, it's clearly all about how he does against New Zealand, that'll give us a better idea as to how well his career will go.

 

[Flem274*]

If you can take wickets bowling spin on those raging turners in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa then you're pretty decent so it might actually

 

[Flem274*]

Having thought about it a bit, I think Lyon has what it takes to be the leading spinner in the world when he hits his prime. He plays for Australia in Australia so a sub-30 average off spinner is a bit optimistic for stats nerds but he's a really really good and underrated bowler.

 

[cnerd123]

I reckon Kaushal will overtake Lyon sooner than later.

Whether or not Lyon will end up rated higher than Mallet will depend on how many matches/series he can win for Aus. Mallet has all the romanticism behind him while Lyon is a lot more boring and conventional.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I can't imagine Lyon getting much better tbh

 

[Daemon]

If you can take wickets bowling spin on those raging turners in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa then you're pretty decent so it might actually

I actually feel the opposite. He's weirdly done alright in conditions that either aren't favorable or not particularly helpful to spinners like England and Australia, but he's got a long way to go when it comes to tracks that are helpful for spinners.

 

[Migara]

I actually feel the opposite. He's weirdly done alright in conditions that either aren't favorable or not particularly helpful to spinners like England and Australia, but he's got a long way to go when it comes to tracks that are helpful for spinners.

Don't think it's the pitches. On spinning pitches he had to contend with players who grew up playing on them. If we have a Aus vs SAF test at Galle, Lyon will set the cat amongst the pigeons.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I actually feel the opposite. He's weirdly done alright in conditions that either aren't favorable or not particularly helpful to spinners like England and Australia, but he's got a long way to go when it comes to tracks that are helpful for spinners.

It's because he doesn't know how to adjust his length for SC pitches. He still bowled an Australian length in UAE and got smashed.

 

[honestbharani]

Just think players by default adjust better to their home conditions, no matter what side of cricket they pursue...

 

[AldoRaine18]

Already a really great place to live, to be honest.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Uses bounce better than an off-spinner I can remember.

 

[cnerd123]

Yea. Lyon has adapted very well to his home conditions. Harder, bouncier pitches with less sideways movement. He puts a lot of overspin on the ball in order to extract a lot of bounce.

It's different bowling on the slow, low turners in the subcontinent.

 

[hendrix]

His ability to take wickets during the ashes when he had no runs to play with was impressive. He does tend to struggle on the lower wickets though - still doesn't really have an arm ball.