Follow UsNathan Lyon is one of the finest spinners in modern-day cricket, and if he says something about spin, it certainly holds a lot of weight. The Australian off-spinner rated Jack Leach as the number one English spinner, despite the left-arm tweaker not being in the scheme of things as far as England’s current management is concerned.
Talking about Shoaib Bashir, who might tour Australia as England’s prime spinner, Lyon said he is just okay. The Aussie also revealed his chat with James Anderson from earlier this summer.
"I obviously played with Jimmy Anderson last year at Lancashire, and they basically said that they're picking Bashir to do what I do. So I took a little bit of pride out of Jimmy, respecting a little bit of what I've been able to do in my career. But Bashir has been okay,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Lyon as saying during a Cricket Australia event on July 31st.
"Jacob Bethell is playing this Test match, and he looks like he'll take up the spin bowling from Liam Dawson. But in my eyes, Jack Leach is still their best spinner,” added the 37-year-old.
Lyon has picked up 552 wickets in 136 Tests, the most by an Aussie off-spinner, and he therefore knows a thing or two about bowling in those conditions and why spin is going to be crucial in the Ashes 2025-26.
"It is a massive role, and it can be a massive challenge for people who haven't done it in the past in these conditions. But I'm not going to let my secrets out so they come out and perform well out here,” Lyon said.
Australia are the current holders of the Ashes, having regained it from England in 2017. The English side, who were unable to wrest the urn back from the Aussies in their last two home series, will look to do the wonders on an away tour. Mind you, England, since 1900, have only won nine series in Australia. But the number has gone down to just one since the turn of the century in 2000. Their last Ashes win in Australia was on the 2010-11 tour.