"You become the most hated cricketer in world cricket" - Nathan Lyon on the similarity in dismissing Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar

Nathan Lyon (L) and Virat Kohli (P.C.:Twitter)
Nathan Lyon (L) and Virat Kohli (P.C.:Twitter)

Australia's leading off-spinner Nathan Lyon has enjoyed some success against star Indian batter Virat Kohli in Test cricket, having dismissed him seven times. In that context, Lyon recently opened up on how the crowd reacts when he dismisss Kohli.

Lyon compared the reaction from fans to his dismissal of Kohli to that when he dismissed Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar back in 2013. He spoke about just how silent the home crowd went, and how it made him feel like he had committed a crime.

Speaking in an interaction with Star Sports, here's what Nathan Lyon had to say about the feeling of getting big wickets like Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar:

"Coming up against Virat Kohli, it feels like you've got the nation against you. If you've got a little bit of success and get Virat out or create a chance, you become the most hated cricketer in world cricket quite quickly. I've had a little bit of experience on that front bowling to Sachin Tendulkar a number of years ago now."

It's been a privilege to play against Virat Kohli: Nathan Lyon

Although Nathan Lyon has had a bit of success against Kohli, the former India captain has also dominated the off-spinner at times. Lyon spoke about Kohli's never-say-die attitude and how that brings in more competitiveness when the two face off against each other.

"Virat probably being one of the best in the world cricket for a long period of time, for him to constantly perform in high level. It's been a privilege to play against him and compete," Lyon said. "I've always said that I want to compete against the best in the world and Virat probably has provided me with the best challenge."

In the recent Nagpur Test though, it was debutante Todd Murphy and not Nathan Lyon who got the wicket of Kohli. In fact, neither the Indian batsman nor the Aussie spinner had a memorable match.

The next Test, beginning on 17 February in Delhi, will see Lyon and Kohli go head-to-head once again.

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