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In a thrilling encounter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Nathan Lyon he etched his name in cricket history by beating the Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to become the seventh leading run-getter in Test cricket. This achievement came after a stellar performance during the fourth Test of the ongoing series between Australia i Indiawhere Lyon claimed five wickets, contributing significantly to Australia’s 184-run victory on 30 December.
A historic Boxing Day test
The Boxing Day Test is a prestigious event in the cricket calendar, and Lyon made it memorable with an outstanding performance. He registered figures of 3 for 96 in the first innings and followed it up with 2 for 37 in the second, eventually sealing the match with a dismissal. Mohammed Siraj with a perfectly executed delivery that caught him in front of the stumps. This crucial goal not only ensured victory for the Australian team, but also marked an important milestone in Lyon’s career.
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The numbers game: Nathan Lyon vs Ravichandran Ashwin
With this match, Lyon now has a total of 538 Test wickets from 133 matches, surpassing Ashwin’s tally of 537 wickets from 106 matches. Ashwin, who announced his retirement just days earlier on December 18, had been a formidable opponent throughout his career, establishing himself as one of the best spinners in modern cricket. The competition between these two spinners has been intense, with both players pushing each other to greater heights over the years.
The leading carriers of all time
Lyon’s success places him among an elite group of bowlers. The list of the best wicket takers in Test history is as follows:
| classification | Bowling player | Wickets |
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | 800 |
| 2 | Shane Warne | 708 |
| 3 | James Anderson | 704 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble | 619 |
| 5 | Stuart Broad | 604 |
| 6 | Glen McGrath | 563 |
| 7 | Nathan Lyon | 538 |
| 8 | Ravichandran Ashwin | 537 |
| 9 | Courtney Walsh | 519 |
Equaling Ashwin’s World Test Championship record
Also, with his haul of five wickets in this match, Lyon has equaled Ashwin’s record for most wickets taken in the World Trials Championship (WTC)with both spinners now sitting on 195 wickets. The race to break that record is heating up as both Lyon and Australia captain Pat Cummins get a chance to surpass Ashwin’s mark in the upcoming fifth Test scheduled to start on January 3, 2025.
