Australian spinner Nathan Lyon said on Monday that the upcoming two Tests in Sri Lanka will be a "massive challenge," with pitches expected to turn from the start.
The Kangaroos enter the five-day games on the heels of a 1-0 Test victory in Pakistan, where the Pat Cummins-led side had to go through two draws before emerging victorious in the final match.
"It is a massive challenge (in Sri Lanka). It can be pretty different... especially if you are coming at the back of Pakistan where those wickets, didn't break up. But here we are going to be a lot in the game as spinners from day one. In my past history here playing from my debut to another Test series number of years ago to now, the conditions are going to be pretty similar," Lyon told reporters.
He believes he and leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson could form a partnership for the Test series, with Australia likely to field two specialist slow bowlers. Australia will play the first Test against the hosts on June 29 in Galle, where Lyon made his debut in 2011.
Lyon, who joined the squad for the red-ball series, said their March victory over Pakistan gave them confidence that they could win in the subcontinent.
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"It's purely the belief that our process and what we are doing is starting to work. We all know how hard it is to win games of Test cricket away from home," said Lyon.
"I think just the pure belief that we are able to hang in there for 15 days of really hard Test cricket in the subcontinent in Pakistan and end up with the right result was probably the biggest thing," he added.
Lyon was part of the Steve Smith-led Australian team that was whitewashed 3-0 by Sri Lanka in 2016 and the 34-year-old off-spinner said the result made them learn and grow.
"It was a really good learning curve. We were able to learn and grow as cricketers and people," said Lyon.
He expects Sri Lanka to be "full of confidence and playing some really terrific cricket" after their two recent one-day international victoies against Australia.
Lyon claims that his conversations with New South Wales assistant coach Chandika Hathurusingha, a former Sri Lankan all-rounder, have given him a better understanding of the country's conditions.
(AFP inputs)
