n the game of cricket, spinners play a crucial role as they are regarded as wicket-taking bowlers. They use variations in flight, turn, and pace to outfox batsmen and induce mistakes.

A successful spinner can be a match-winner by breaking partnerships and taking crucial wickets and also controlling the run rate through accurate and consistent bowling. Spinners can create pressure on batsmen, forcing them to make mistakes. Spinners are often more effective on pitches that offer turn and bounce.

In Test cricket, particularly in the sub-continent, where the pitches tend to be dry and conducive to spin, spinners play a decisive role, especially on the fourth and fifth days of a match when the pitch tends to wear down.

During the second innings of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan in Perth, Aussie off-spinner Nathan Lyon became the eighth bowler in Test history to claim 500 Test wickets. He is the third bowler of his country, after Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563), and fourth spinner overall, behind Muttiah Muralidaran (800) and Anil Kumble (619).

Out of the top 20 wicket-takers for Australia, only five are spinners and except for Lyon all are leg spinners – Warne, Richie Benaud, ClarrieGrimmett and Stuart MacGill.

Lyon, 36, is a classical off spinner who flights the ball and looks for wickets. He belongs to the group of traditional bowlers who don’t try many variations but concentrate on the basics of line and length. Their variations revolve around flight and turn and a subtle change of pace.

Very few people know that Lyon started out as a pitch curator and in 12 years he has joined the elite club of 500 Test wicket-takers.

His breakthrough came in the T20 format, in the early editions of the Big Bash in 2011. He impressed in T20s for South Australia and within seven months he became a Test cricketer.

Lyon started his Test career in July 2011 against Sri Lanka. He got the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara off the first ball of his Test career. For the last 13 years, he has been Australia's most successful spinner. His relentless work ethic has made him a force to be reckoned with in international cricket.

Since his debut, Lyon has missed only seven Test matches played by Australia, due to an injury. Among the bowlers with 500 Test wickets, no one has missed fewer matches than Lyon. The next lowest is Courtney Walsh, who missed only ten of West Indies' 139 Tests between his debut and when he took his 500th scalp.

In the Ashes, Lyon is one of only two spinners to have bagged 100-plus wickets since World War II. The off-spinner has taken 110 wickets, while Shane Warne's 195 are the highest in Ashes history.

Lyon's success in the Ashes proves his greatness because the conditions seldom favour spinners in Australia and England. There have been 33 Ashes Tests since Lyon's first at Old Trafford in 2013, of which he played 30 matches. The remaining spinners across England and Australia collectively claimed 110 in 33 Tests.

Lyon, nicknamed the "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time) by his teammates, has become a pivotal figure in the Australian cricket team, especially in the Test format.

One of Lyon's most remarkable qualities is his ability to perform consistently on various pitches around the world. Traditionally, spinners are considered to be more effective on turning tracks, but Lyon has defied this stereotype by delivering outstanding performances on a variety of surfaces. Whether it's the spinning tracks of the Indian subcontinent or the bouncy pitches of Australia, Lyon has consistently found a way to trouble batsmen.

In the 2019 Ashes series, Lyon played a crucial role in Australia retaining the trophy in England. His exceptional bowling helped Australia draw the series 2-2, and Lyon's performances, including a memorable 6-wicket haul in the second innings of the Headingley Test, made Australia's success easier.

Off the field, Lyon is known for his affable personality and team spirit. He has become a respected senior member of the Australian cricket team, guiding and mentoring younger players.

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