Ind vs Aus, 1st Test: Ponting warns visitors, calls Lyon 'massive threat'
Dec 18, 2020
Adelaide [Australia], December 18 : Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting feels spinner Nathan Lyon, who is just nine wickets away from his 400th Test scalp, can be a "massive threat" for visitors in the ongoing four-match Test series.
The Australian spinner claimed the big wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara for the tenth time in Test cricket on Thursday. Ponting feels Pujara looked unsettled against Lyon and said the right-handed spinner will be a massive threat for Indian batsmen as he bowls very few bad balls.
"He's had as much success as any spinner, I think, against India over the years," cricket.com.au quoted Ponting as saying.
"He's got Virat Kohli out (in Tests) more than anybody in the history of the game, he looked like he troubled Pujara a lot today. He builds pressure, he bowls very few bad balls so he'll be a massive threat for them," he added.
Ponting also explained the reason as to why he thinks that the spinner will be a major strike weapon for Australia.
"When he creates the angle from wide and angles back in, that really only challenges the inside half of the bat and a glove whereas if he can get it out a little bit wider it brings the catch at slip in play," said Ponting.
"It brings a bat-pad off-side catch into play and if you get the extra bounce, like Pujara's wicket, you can still get the wicket at leg slip as well," he added.
India folded up for 244 as the visitors were able to add only 11 runs to their overnight score. But the Indian bowlers brought the visitors right back in the game with spin spearhead R Ashwin leading the way as he picked the all-important wicket of Steve Smith for just 1.
