Australian offspinner Nathan Lyon wants to see selectors take the plunge and pick two spinners in the four-Test series against India which starts in Chennai on February 22.
Lyon, who boasts an excellent record of 61 wickets in 19 matches, is yet to play a Test in India.
However, the 25-year-old South Australian spinner says he’s been taking plenty of notes on the way Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann snared a combined tally of 37 wickets in England’s series triumph in India in December.
Lyon arrived in Chennai late on Thursday in an advance party of eight. He’ll be joined on Saturday by Mitchell Starc, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, injured opener David Warner (thumb) and Ashton Agar – a 19-year-old spinner from Western Australia who will act as a net bowler for the Aussies.
Skipper Michael Clarke, vice-captain Shane Watson, Xavier Doherty, Phil Hughes and Mitchell Johnson will join the squad on Monday, ahead of Tuesday’s opening tour match in Chennai which is a two-day clash against the India President’s XI.
The third wave of players is unlikely to take part in the opening tour game.
“Hopefully there’ll be an opportunity where two spinners will be able to go out on the field together for Australia,” Lyon said on Friday.
“I personally think so (that two spinners should play). It’s going to be a big challenge for all of us in the different conditions over here.
“We saw with India, they played four spinners in the last Test against England (in the drawn fourth Test in Nagpur).”
Lyon took seven wickets at a costly average of 41.57 in the previous summer’s home series against India which Australia swept four-nil and also claimed seven scalps at 43.85 in last month’s three-Test series against Sri Lanka.
Tasmanian left-armer Doherty is the second frontline spinner in the squad and would be a logical option if Australia played two slow bowlers, although offspinning allrounder Maxwell is pressing hard for his Test debut.
“There’s five spinners with Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Xavier Doherty, Ashton Agar and myself,” Lyon said.
“It’s going to be a good challenge for all of us and it’s going to be really good pushing each other along for spots in the first Test side.”
