CANBERRA: Iconic Sachin Tendulkar has made over 86,000 runs and 237 tons in all formats of the game over the last quarter of a century, yet the Australians feel that seven-Test old off-spinner Nathan Lyon could tie him up in knots in the four-match Test series starting on December 26.
In typical psychological tricks that the Aussies play, former off-spinner Ashley Mallett reckons Lyon could worry the batting legend whom many reckon as the greatest batsman ever to have walked on a cricket field. “It’s a huge Test for Nathan Lyon, obviously, but I just think a good offie worries Tendulkar more than a good leggie,” Mallett said.
“He seems to play the ball leaving him a little better than the ball nipping back at him.”
Statistics does not seem to suggest so even though Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan claimed Tendulkar more than any other bowler in Test cricket.
Muralitharan got Tendulkar out on eight occasions, yet the iconic Indian’s tally of 1995 runs at 60-odd average against Sri Lanka suggest it came at a great cost for the great off-spinner.
Other than Muralitharan, Tendulkar has been dismissed by a few off-spinners during his glittering career but they are few and far between to merit a mention.
Saqlain Mushtaq claimed him two times while Graeme Swann of England has also got his wicket on a couple of occasion.
Pat Symcox of South Africa, who himself claimed Tendulkar twice in Test cricket, drew on his experience to say teams even during his time tended to plot a great deal against the Indian stalwart but they still have not found the way to stop him from scoring runs.
“It’s natural that he dominated most of the team talk the night before you started a Test. But there’s actually not much you can do if he’s playing well,” Symcox said.
Lyon was a two-year toddler when Tendulkar made his debut against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989 and till July this year was only known for his job as a curator in Adelaide. Since then he has made an impressive Test debut and picked up 22 wickets from seven Tests at 24.59. (PTI)