Ahead of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India in Melbourne, former England skipper Michael Vaughan has issued a threat for Virat Kohli and company, saying that the home team will clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Vaughan, who is covering the ongoing Test series as a commentator, also predicted off-spinner Nathan Lyon to be the difference between the two sides. Indian batsmen including Kohli are finding it hard to combat Lyon in the ongoing Test series.

Lyon bagged the Player-of-the-Match award for his eight-wicket haul in the second Test at Perth. He picked up five scalps in the first innings and three in the second to derail India’s chase of 287 in the fourth innings. The classy offie has already claimed 16 wickets at an outstanding average of 19.43 in the Test series with two Tests still to go.

Taking to Twitter, Vaughan wrote: “Final thought as I leave Aussie ... Australia will Win the series ... Lyon is going to prove to be the difference ... #AUSvIND ... Anyway back to the cold ... See you all down under in early jan”.

Team India are the current owner of Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won the last series at home in 2017. It was a highly competitive four-match series with the scoreline reading 2-1. While Australia had won the first Test in Pune, Kohli and his men had made a resounding comeback to win the second and fourth Test in Bangalore and Dharamsala and clinch the series.