Perth Test: Sachin Tendulkar heaps praise on Nathan Lyon

Indian great Sachin Tendulkar yesterday lavished praise on Nathan Lyon after his five-wicket haul in the Perth Test

Nathan Lyon celebrates his five-wicket haul in Perth. Picture: Getty Images

The Little Master has spoken — and decreed that Australian offspinner Nathan Lyon is something special.

Indian great Sachin Tendulkar yesterday lavished praise on Lyon after his five-wicket haul in the Perth Test, which took him into the top 25 all-time Test wicket-takers.

“Australia have got a very special spinner in @NathLyon421,” Tendulkar said on Twitter.

“He has got terrific variations and uses the pace and bounce from the pitch to extract maximum value.”

Lyon dismissed danger man Ajinkya Rahane on 51 then cleaned up India’s tail on day three to ensure Australia held a narrow lead before commencing their second innings.

He finished with 5-67.

It is the seventh time Lyon has taken five wickets or more against India in Tests, drawing him level with Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan. Shane Warne managed the feat just once and Glenn McGrath twice. Lyon snared 6-122 in the second innings in Adelaide, where he also displayed his much improved batting with unbeaten scores of 24 and 38.

Lyon said the pitch hadn’t initially been as conducive to pace and bounce as he had expected, forcing him to focus on bowling defensively.

“It’s amazing to get something like that from Sachin Tendulkar,” Lyon said. “He’s one of the greatest of all time to ever play the game so to get recognised by him is a massive honour.

“I was pretty happy with the way I bowled yesterday (Saturday) and throughout that whole innings. It was more about me trying to build some pressure and bowl some dot balls.”

The 31-year-old has also compiled an enviable record against Indian superstar Virat Kohli.

Lyon’s six dismissals of Kohli are the most by any bowler in Test cricket. Australia will be hoping Lyon can add to his 77 Test wickets against India when the tourists bat again given the likelihood the pitch will deteriorate.

Meanwhile, Peter Handscomb is again staring at the prospect of an early-summer axing after familiar troubles re-emerged. Spin king Shane Warne labelled Handscomb a “lamb to the slaughter” after he was trapped lbw by Ishant Sharma for 13 on day three.

Australia’s No 5 has long faced questions over his front-foot issues and his poor dismissal after tea – pinned deep in his crease by a full-pitched Ishant delivery – will only invite further scrutiny of his unorthodox technique.

Dropped after two Tests during last summer’s Ashes series, Handscomb sought out former opener Chris Rogers to help him make adjustments.

But scores of 34, 14, seven and 13 are certain to leave him vulnerable with Mitch Marsh’s pace bowling set to bring him into calculations for the Boxing Day Test.

“I would love to be positive about Handscomb. But enough now, it’s not fair on Peter to keep picking him – it’s a lamb to the slaughter,” Warne posted on Twitter.

“I’ve said it so many times now, but you cannot play international cricket with a technique like that.”

Handscomb averaged 63 in his first seven Tests, a period in which he compiled five scores higher than 50.

In eight Tests since, he has averaged just 23. Former Test batsman Simon Katich said the prospect of again failing to make it through the summer would be weighing heavily on Handscomb.

“It’s no doubt playing on his mind,” Katich said on SEN radio. “He knows he has to prove he’s changed his game. That would be weighing on his mind given he’s been dropped previously.

“It’s never an easy position to be in.”

Additional reporting AAP