Nathan Lyon wasn’t rated Australia’s best spinner the last time he was at Trent Bridge.

Lyon returns as one of the best tweakers in the world and a strike weapon as they seek to stay alive in the Ashes.

Australia’s pacemen have all looked dangerous during the five-Test series, but none have threatened as consistently as Lyon.

“I back my skill to get anyone in the world out,” Lyon told AAP.

“I feel like I’m flying.

“I don’t know if this is the best that I’ve ever bowled, but it’s certainly up there. I feel confident.”

For good reason.

Even when the visitors posted a first-innings total of 136 at Edgbaston and Lyon was bowling on day one, he managed to take two wickets from two overs.

For so long Lyon was criticised and critiqued; he was underrated by pundits and targeted by the opposition.

Those days are over for the former curator who became Australia’s most productive offspinner on the recent West Indies tour.

Ricky Ponting described Lyon as one of the best spinners in the world during the third Test, while India counterpart Ravichandran Ashwin recently cited his form as an inspiration.

“It’s nice to hear those comments. Ricky is a legend of the game,” Lyon said.

“But I don’t worry about what people say – good or bad.

“I’ll worry about it all at the end of my career.”

Lyon’s improvement hasn’t been lost on England.

The talk pre-series was that the hosts would go after the 27-year-old, hit him out of the attack whenever possible.

The reality is they’ve been far more guarded, often unsure of whether to attack or defend.

“You probably could say that,” Lyon said, when asked if England have treated him with more respect than the past two Ashes.

Although he’d prefer if they swung more freely.

“I still feel like they want to take the game on, which is fantastic,” he said.

“I’m always in with a chance when that happens. If they take me it on, it’s more exciting.”

Mitchell Johnson feels Lyon’s control has served as a fine complement to his express pace during the series.

“We seem to get breakthroughs .. it’s about bowling in partnerships,” Johnson said.

Lyon didn’t have a chance to impress in Nottingham during the 2013 series.

He snagged nine wickets in Delhi, but was overlooked as Ashton Agar made a spellbinding debut with the bat.

Lyon was recalled after the second Test of that series and hasn’t been out of the side since.

Needless to say, Lyon isn’t looking back.

“No bad memories. It’s a beautiful place and an unbelievable ground,” he said.