Nathan Lyon has acknowledged the significant challenge posed by India's young sensation, Yashasvi Jaiswal, as Australia prepares for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Jaiswal, currently ranked 8th in the ICC Test rankings, has emerged as a consistent performer in red-ball cricket since his international debut. With the series scheduled to begin on November 22 in Australia, Jaiswal is expected to open alongside Rohit Sharma.
Lyon admitted to being impressed by Jaiswal's performance during the recent England Tests, where the left-hander was a standout. Jaiswal’s ability to consistently deliver in pressure situations was evident when he amassed 712 runs in five matches during the series, becoming only the second Indian after Sunil Gavaskar to score over 700 runs in a Test series.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Lyon noted how he closely observed Jaiswal during the England series. "The way he [Jaiswal] played against England, I watched that quite closely and thought that was quite amazing," said the Australian veteran.
To prepare for Jaiswal and other Indian batters, Lyon consulted with England's left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who provided insights into his strategies. Lyon found these conversations valuable as they discussed different approaches to tackling Indian players. “I had some really good chats with Tom Hartley about different ways he went about it to different guys, which I found quite interesting,” Lyon remarked.
Lyon, known for his analytical approach, emphasised the importance of gathering knowledge from various sources. At 36, the experienced spinner continues to seek new information, which he believes could be the key to finally winning a Test series against India after a decade-long drought.
Australia last won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2014-15. Since then, they have suffered four consecutive series losses to India—twice under Virat Kohli (2016-17, 2018-19), once under Ajinkya Rahane (2021), and most recently under Rohit Sharma (2023). With so much cricketing knowledge available, Lyon is hopeful that Australia can turn things around in the upcoming series.
Lyon’s careful preparation and recognition of Jaiswal as a major threat highlight how seriously Australia is taking the challenge, making the upcoming series one of the most anticipated in recent years.