Veteran Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon said the top-order batsmen need to score big runs in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India.

Nathan Lyon said Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head should score big hundreds to end Australia’s BGT drought.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between India and Australia will begin on November 22 in Perth.

The Indian cricket team has won the last four bilateral Test series. Australia defeated Rohit Sharma-led India in their last red-ball clash during the 2023 World Test Championship final.

Australia are looking to secure their first Test series win against India in a decade. As both teams go through important transitions, many pundits and fans are anticipating another tight series.

India and Australia are currently at the top of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 ​​points table.

Talented enough to score a hundred – Nathan Lyon

Nathan Lyon wants Australia’s top-order batsmen, including Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, to score big hundreds in the upcoming series against India.

Lyon also said that if he takes a day off, he will be more effective and can help his team win the Test match.

“We need big runs. We need the guys who are talented enough to get to 100,” Lyon told Australian women’s captain Alysa Healy on the Willlow Talk podcast.

“Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, all top class. I don’t want 101 or 107, I want 180 and 200.”

“If I get a day off, I am pretty sure I will be more effective and will be able to help my team win the Test match,” he added.

It will be something very big – Nathan Lyon

Nathan Lyon is excited about his rivalry with Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant in the upcoming five-match series. The veteran off-spinner refuted claims that Test cricket is in decline and emphasised the growing interest in the series.

“With Virat here, Rishabh Pant has been selected for the Tests against Bangladesh, so it’s an amazing story. It will be very important,” Lyon said.

“I am very excited to play the five-match series. This series is becoming more and more important and when people say that Test cricket is dying, I don’t agree.”

“When you walk down the street and talk to local people, they are already saying, ‘India this summer, huh?’ This series is in the back of people’s minds.”

The 36-year-old is the leading wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 116 wickets in 26 Test matches. In total, he has 530 wickets in 129 Test matches at an average of 30.20.

Kohli has scored 2042 runs in 25 Test matches at an average of 48.26, including eight centuries and five fifties.

Australia have not won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since their 2-0 victory in the 2014-15 series.

The Men in Yellow bowled out the Indian team by 36 runs in Adelaide during the 2020-21 series. However, India made a remarkable comeback and won the series with victories at the MCG and Gabba.

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