India opener Shubman Gill, who slammed a century in the fourth against Australia at Ahmedabad, heaped praise on visiting off-spinner Nathan Lyon, saying they tried to put him under pressure but couldn’t succeed.
“We tried to put him under pressure. But I don’t think he was under any pressure,” Gill said after the fourth Test ended in a draw on Monday (March 13). “I think the pacers bowled well, But he doesn’t give you many areas you know. He doesn’t give you much half volleys or short balls. It is important for you to be patient and take the singles. When you’re batting it is more about the bowlers. He takes the pressure.”
He further added, “To be honest, I think, on this wicket you are not bowling in the roughs, there is nothing for the bowlers. They kept bowling in the wickets and I played my shots.”
Nathan Lyon finished the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 as the joint second highest wicket-taker with 22 scalps to his name. He produced a Player-of-the-Match performance in Australia’s only victory in the series at Indore.
“It has been a tough challenge,” Lyon said at the end of the Ahmedabad Test. “Obviously coming over here, in India, we know it is going to be tough but it has been rewarding, our group can take a lot out of it. There are some areas we can improve but there are some proud moments along the way. Totally different surface, didn’t really have much in it and it was pretty hard work to bowl out here. It can be quite challenging but it is up to us as bowlers to try and get the guys caught in the crease and make them play false shots. Totally different to the first three pitches, lot compacted and not many footmarks.”
The veteran spinner also said while they were following the New Zealand-Sri Lanka Test match in Christchurch on Monday, they knew it would be India facing them in the World Test Championship final.
As it eventually turned out, the Ahmedabad Test ended in a draw. Hours before this outcome, New Zealand cleared the road for India through to the WTC final with a thrilling two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on the last ball of Day 5 at the Hagley Oval.
“We were watching the score (NZ-SL game) but we kinda knew we were going to face India in the final. It is going to be pretty exciting, we have got a really good lead up into it, a bit of time off and then some preparation, but looking forward to it.”
Lyon also lauded his fellow spinners Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann, who picked 23 wickets between them in the four-match Test series.
“I feel I have been able to play a big role in the start of their (Murphy and Kuhnemann) Test journey, I know Matty is keen to have a word with Jadeja tonight, they should head home pretty proud on what they have achieved, it is no easy feat to bowl against the best players of spin,” Lyon said.
(The Indian Express Inputs)
