Lyon hailed Pujara as a “world-class batter”.
Australian bowlers may have succeeded in keeping Cheteshwar Pujara quiet in the first Test at Adelaide, but off-spinner Nathan Lyon feels it would be a massive challenge to get the better of India’s No. 3 through the remainder of the series.
Hailing him as a “world-class batter”, Lyon said the hosts have a couple of more surprises lined up for Pujara, who is known for his resilience in tough situations.
The second Test starts on December 26 in Melbourne.
"I can't reveal secrets, to be honest with you. But, obviously Pujara is a world-class batter and he is going to be a big challenge for us for the rest of the series," Lyon said at a virtual press-conference on Wednesday (December 23).
"We spoke about him (Pujara) in depth before the series started, it was good to see a couple of plans come off in Adelaide, but we have got a couple more things.
"So, hopefully if he does get in, we can put into ploy... it is always fun challenging yourself against the best players in the world and Pujara is definitely one of those guys," he added.
It was Lyon who got rid of Pujara for 43 in the first innings of the Adelaide Test, which Australia won by eight wickets.
In order to attend the birth of his first child, India’s regular skipper Virat Kohli left the Australian shores on Tuesday (December 22) and he won’t be taking part in the remaining three Tests.
According to Lyon, however, the visitors have got enough players to fill in the "big hole" left by Kohli.
"...Ajinkya Rahane and (Cheteshwar) Pujara, just to name a couple. But you still got the likes of (KL) Rahul and (Mayank) Agarwal, who have been exceptional as well, so there is (are) enough guys in that squad to fill Virat's shoes," he said.
"It is going to be a big challenge for us again and we will start our preparation really well and make sure we are prepared to take on India again on (the) Boxing Day, it is going to be another big challenge for us," added Lyon, who has 391 Test wickets to his credit.
Lyon also feels that Indian batsmen will try and attack him once again, a strategy that he is both familiar and comfortable with.
"...when you look at the quality of the quick bowlers that we have got here in Australian side, I think it's one of their tactics to come after me which is totally fine," he said.
"I am pretty used to having guys come after me... so it's all fun part of playing cricket and especially being a spin bowler," he added.
India recorded their lowest Test score of 36/9 in Adelaide but Lyon expects the tourists to bounce back strongly in the Boxing Day Test.
"I don't think it will be that difficult. You look at the quality of players in the Indian side and they have got some absolutely world-class players throughout the whole squad.
"It is one of the days where nothing went right for them and everything went right for us...We are expecting them to come out firing and not have any scars from the other day.
"...we can't go out there expecting we're going to bowl them out for 50 again."
(With PTI inputs)