December 4, 2024: Ahead of the much-anticipated pink-ball, day-night Test against India at the Adelaide Oval, Australia’s ace spinner Nathan Lyon has expressed confidence that the conditions at his beloved venue will be conducive to spin. Lyon, one of the most successful bowlers in pink-ball Test history, is eager to take advantage of the unique conditions at Adelaide, which he described as the “best cricket wicket in the world.”
Lyon, who has enjoyed success at Adelaide in various formats of the game, was particularly upbeat about the pitch and the overall atmosphere. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, he said, “I love Adelaide. Adelaide’s my favourite venue. So I love playing cricket here. The whole atmosphere here with the crowds, the city, and the pitch—it’s something I really enjoy. The conditions here offer great spin and bounce, and I believe it is a great venue for all kinds of cricket—whether it’s red ball, pink ball, or white ball.”
Lyon emphasized that the Adelaide pitch offers a balanced challenge for both batsmen and bowlers, providing enough assistance for spinners while still allowing for runs if the batsmen are good enough. He stated, “Red ball, white ball, pink ball, it is exactly the same. It’s not overly challenging, but it’s a great wicket with enough in it to test both bat and ball. If you’re good enough with the bat, you’ll score runs, and if you’re good enough with the ball, you’ll create chances.”
Lyon continued, “I think this is probably the best cricket wicket in the world, if I’m being honest with you. I’m expecting it to be pretty helpful for spin and bowling as well.”
With Josh Hazlewood ruled out of the second Test due to a side strain, Lyon shared his disappointment about the absence of the experienced pacer but praised his professionalism. Lyon noted that Hazlewood, despite being sidelined, has been a great team player, helping others while focusing on his rehab. “He’s pretty disappointed. The other day when he told me, about four or five days ago, that he had a little side issue, he was down about it. But knowing Josh, he’s getting around everyone, making sure everyone is good,” Lyon said.
“He’s doing his rehab and ball training as well. You’ve seen him do his rehab tonight, and I think he did about a 90-minute session yesterday. He’s putting in the hard yards,” Lyon added.
Lyon was also asked about being hit for some bold shots by India’s young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy during recent practice sessions. While he acknowledged that being hit for boundaries is part of the game, he was not surprised by it. “You’re playing against the best players in the world, so no, I wasn’t surprised. But I don’t mind getting hit for boundaries. It provides opportunities for me to take chances along the way,” he said, maintaining his trademark confidence.
The Adelaide Test, starting on December 6, presents Australia with a crucial opportunity to fight back in the series after their heavy 295-run defeat in Perth. With India currently leading the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-0, Australia will be hoping to use their home advantage to regain momentum. The pink-ball Test format, which has generally suited Australia’s fast bowlers, will be an interesting battle between pace and spin, with Lyon expecting a pitch that will help spinners like him.
India, however, will be looking to exorcise the ghosts of the infamous 2020 Adelaide Test, where they were bowled out for a mere 36 runs. Despite the emotional memories of that loss, India’s squad is in high spirits after their dominant win in the first Test, led by Jasprit Bumrah’s impressive bowling.
Squads for the Second Test:
- Australia: Pat Cummins (C), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (WK), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
- India: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
- Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal.
As the match approaches, all eyes will be on the Adelaide Oval, with both teams ready to fight for control of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.