Australia v India Fourth Test: Nathan Lyon’s 400-game milestone overshadowed by poor Indian series

Nathan Lyon has developed a dazzling reputation in recent years, but just nine wickets at an average of 55 against India has worn away some of that sheen, Ben Horne writes.

Nathan Lyon struggled in the series against India. Picture: Getty Images

Nathan Lyon always hoped this would be an unforgettable summer, but sadly it will stay with him for all the wrong reasons.

It’s a fine line between celebration and commiseration and Lyon bounced from one to the other in his 100th Test, as the spinner failed to bowl Australia to a day five victory for the second consecutive match.

The fact Lyon has finished the series on 399 wickets tells the story of Australia’s series. So close, yet so far.

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Nathan Lyon has had a disappointing series, but can finish with a bang. Picture: Getty

Lyon deserves every plaudit that has come his way for joining the 100-club, and when he does knock over the one pole he now needs to take 400 Test wickets, that will stand as a brilliant achievement.

But Lyon taking just nine wickets at an average of 55 runs per wicket against India this summer, has put a dint in the dazzling reputation the off-spinner has developed over recent years.

Lyon certainly isn’t on his own in the Australian dressing room in that department, but as the frontline spinner, the expectation is on him to drive his team to victory in day five scenarios.

In Sydney and yesterday in Brisbane, the cards have simply not fallen his way.

At the SCG, wicketkeeper Tim Paine dropped two crucial chances off Lyon’s bowling which could have made all the difference for Australia, and at the Gabba, a controversial DRS rule cost him the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara (56 off 211) that would have taken away India’s backbone.

But in the end, Lyon’s bowling simply wasn’t up to the standard he has set over recent years.

Playing for Australia means everything to Lyon, and in that vein he takes the losses harder than most.

Lyon plonked to the ground in agony as Rishabh Pant hit the winning runs – and long after as players waited for the presentation – a similar shot to the forlorn figure who watched in disbelief as Ben Stokes engineered England’s Ashes miracle at Headingly in 2019.

Pant took Lyon for back-to-back boundaries in the 94th over which broke the game open. India was not losing after Pant opened up for a slog sweep which cannoned into the fence.

Lyon ended the series one wicket away from 400. Picture: AFP

After 100 Tests and 399 wickets Lyon is entitled to a bad series, but the way India has dominated the spinner has shone a light on how bare the cupboard is for Australia in terms of spin bowling depth.

Mitchell Swepson was caned by the Indians in the tour match leading into the series, and he is considered next cab off the rank.

It’s a problem elsewhere for Australia. Captain Paine hasn’t had his finest series with the gloves, but who would be the wicketkeeper ready to come in and fill the void even if it did become available?

Matthew Wade and Travis Head had troubled series, but who should be the new No.5 if they are discarded?

Should Marcus Harris and Joe Burns play Test cricket again?

There’s a lot of questions for Australia after letting victory slip in Sydney and Brisbane, but not a lot of answers.

Australia were left mystified that this was given not out.

Nathan Lyon and teammates react to the DRS decision. Picture: Getty Images

It was another torturous day for Lyon – who let his anger and frustration pour out of him when he had a confident lbw appeal turned down by umpire Paul Wilson and thwarted by DRS.

Replays showed the ball cannoning into leg stump, but ICC rules do not include the bails as part of the wickets, and therefore less than 50 per cent of the ball was hitting.

Lyon felt the on-field decision should have been out, which would have meant the umpire’s call would have gone Australia’s way.

The stress of being expected to bowl Australia to victory on day five appeared to be getting to Lyon, particularly after the similar experience of falling short in Sydney the previous Test.

Overall, it’s a blip on the radar for Lyon who has proven himself one of Australia’s great underrated success stories. But it only makes the failure of this series hurt even more.