[WATCH] Off-spinner Nathan Lyon practices with a tennis racquet during Australia’s training camp

Seasoned Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon was seen practicing with a tennis racquet during the team’s ongoing training camp ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.

Australia will not be playing a practice match in India ahead of the four-match Test series, which begins at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on February 9. Instead, they have organized a four-day training camp at the KSCA Stadium in Alur, where they are practicing on ‘turning pitches’.

They have also flown in young Baroda off-spinner Mahesh Pithiya since his bowling action resembles that of Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

On Sunday, February 5, journalist Bharat Sundaresan shared a clip of Lyon trying his hand at some tennis during Australia’s training session. In the video, the 35-year-old is seen using a racquet to serve and does a pretty impressive job at it. The clip was shared with the caption:

“How do you rate Nathan Lyon’s serve? There’s almost a bit of his bowling action in it #IndvAus.”

Lyon will be key to Australia’s fortunes during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The veteran off-spinner has played seven Tests in India, claiming 34 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls.

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“We've got plenty of options” - Pat Cummins on support for Lyon

Australian Test captain Pat Cummins has asserted that the visitors have enough options to support experienced spinner Lyon during the upcoming red-ball series against India.

Apart from Lyon, Australia have picked leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson, left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, and uncapped off-spinner Todd Murphy in their Test squad. Speaking at a media interaction on Saturday, February 5, Cummins said:

"We've got plenty of options here (with) finger spin, wrist spin, left arm (pace) when (Mitchell) Starcy comes back. We'll obviously pick the bowlers that we think are going to take 20 wickets. But how we split that up, we're not 100 per cent sure yet."

Cummins added that it’s too early to say whether Australia will go in with two spinners in Nagpur. Responding to a query on the bowling combination, the Aussie skipper stated:

"I wouldn't say it's a given. Obviously, it's very conditions dependent. Particularly in the first Test, once we get to Nagpur we will see that.

“The good thing is someone like Agar was in our last team, Swepson played the last two overseas tour, so a bit of experience. Murphy played in the last tour. We feel that we got a lot of support in that department for Lyon."

Following the conclusion of their four-day training camp in Alur, the Australian team will head to Nagpur on Monday, February 6.