'Nathan Lyon is not R Ashwin': Chappell highlights one key mistake by Australian spinners

Former Australian cricketer Ian Chappell has offered a major piece of advice to Nathan Lyon after Australia's humiliating loss in the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Chappell said Lyon should not try and replicate Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja's skillset because he won't be able to, adding that he should rather play on his own strengths. Chappell further stated that Ashwin bowled better than Jadeja in Australia's second innings of the Delhi Test but it was the Gujarat-born cricketer who picked up seven wickets. 

"Too often they (opposition spinners) do try and replicate the skillset (of Aswin and Jadeja). Talking about Ashwin and Jadeja... They know exactly what to do in India. Ashwin is a damn fine bowler, doesn't matter where he bowls. I've seen him bowl in Australia, he bowled extremely well. He is also very smart. He works out exactly what he's gotta do. Jadeja doesn't vary too much although he has learned a few things and has improved his bowling but he's got the skillset that is perfect for India and the two of them work together," Chappell said on ESPNCricinfo.

"In this game, I thought Ashwin bowled bloody well but Jadeja got the seven wickets but that's the way it happens some days. I don't think you can come and replicate what they do. Nathan Lyon is not R Ashwin, he's got to bowl like Nathan Lyon and he has tried to do that," Chappell added. 

India vs Australia

On Friday, during the match at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, Australia won the toss and decided to bat first. They scored a total of 263 runs, with Peter Handscomb and Usman Khawaja each scoring a half-century. Mohammed Shami picked up four wickets, while Jadeja and Ashwin took three wickets apiece.

India, in response, managed to put up only 262 runs on the scoreboard, with Axar Patel making a significant contribution of 74 runs.

During the second innings, India's bowlers performed brilliantly, as they dismissed Australia for just 113 runs. Jadeja took an impressive seven-wicket haul, and Ashwin picked up three wickets. Among the Australian batters, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne were the only ones to put up a decent score of 42 and 35 runs, respectively, while the rest of the team was dismissed for single-digit scores.

In India's second innings, Rohit Sharma (31) and Virat Kohli (20) were major contributors apart from Pujara, who scored an unbeaten 31 off 74 balls to help India win by 6 wickets. Jadeja was named the player of the match for the second time in a row. 

Image: BCCI