In a historic triumph at Perth's Optus Stadium, Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon etched his name in cricket's annals by securing his 500th Test wicket.
This milestone marked a pivotal moment in Australia's resounding victory over Pakistan, as Lyon dismissed Faheem Ashraf and Aamir Jamal in the same over, showcasing his exceptional skill.
Starting the Test with 496 wickets to his name, Lyon added five more to elevate himself into the esteemed 500-wicket club. His outstanding performance, with figures of 3/66 and 2/18 in the first and second innings, respectively, further underscored his stature in the cricketing world. Lyon now joins the ranks of Australian bowling legends Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath as the third to achieve this extraordinary feat.
Celebrated Indian spin maestros Anil Kumble and Ravichandran Ashwin showered praise upon Lyon.
Taking to social media, Ashwin extended his congratulations and admiration for Lyon, hailing him as the 'Greatest of All Time' (GOAT) and emphasising his unique position as the second off-spinner in history to achieve the 500-wicket milestone. Ashwin tweeted, ‘8th bowler and only the 2nd off-spinner in history to pick 500 Test wickets. @NathLyon421 congrats mate #AUSvsPAK.’
While Lyon basks in his milestone, Ashwin, closely trailing with 489 wickets, eagerly anticipates the upcoming Test series against South Africa and England as opportunities to potentially add to his impressive tally.
Another iconic Indian spinner, Anil Kumble, part of the '500 Club' in Tests with 619 scalps, lauded Lyon for reaching the monumental milestone. Kumble took to X, ‘Congratulations @NathLyon421 on your 500 Test wickets! Hope you add many more to this tally!’ — expressing his wishes for Lyon's continued success on the cricketing journey.
