5 reasons why Nathan Lyon is at par with R Ashwin

#2. Significant improvement

Until 2015, Lyon played eight Tests in India Asia and had a poor strike rate of 76.6. For each of his 26 wickets, he paid 49.11 runs. But courtesy of massive transformation in 2015, the off-spinner since then has produced 57 wickets in nine Tests at an average of 22.91 and strike rate of 47.8.

In 2017, he has taken 46 wickets in Tests, the highest by any bowler across the globe. In this year, he has picked a wicket every eighth over and has paid only 21.95 runs per wicket.

Lyon emerged in international cricket as an effective bowler in an off-spinner's mould but had a limited use. He was most often the fourth-bowler in the team, specifically used to improve the over rate and to keep things quiet when the pacers relaxed or waited for the new ball.

Currently, however, he is one of the frontline bowlers for Australia and has created enough faith in the captain to get selected over a pacer. This sterling improvement is what makes Lyon a world class bowler and he one of the very few off spinners who are at par with Ashwin.