Published 22:16 IST, January 13th 2021
Nathan Lyon says Australia can't 'afford to be complacent' despite India's injury concerns
Offie Nathan Lyon has said that Australia will not be taking India lightly in the series-deciding 4th & final Test at Gabba, Brisbane despite injury concerns
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon has said that Australia do not have the advantage in the series-deciding fourth Test match against India even though the visitors face injury concerns ahead of the contest.
Giving further clarification on the same, Lyon has mentioned that the hosts just cannot afford to overlook Team India's grit and gumption that they had shown in the previous Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
'We can't rest on that': Nathan Lyon
"I wouldn't say that (Australia have the advantage). You look at the class throughout the Indian squad, yes they will be missing a couple of big players but they have got a talented squad they can pick from," Lyon said during a virtual press conference on Wednesday.
"We do have an amazing record here at Gabba, we do have the confidence and we know how to play a really positive brand of cricket here at Brisbane. But we can't rest on that. We know how talented India are and how hungry they are to win this series", the veteran offie added.
The winner takes it all at the Gabba
Australia drew first blood in the pink-ball Test match at the Adelaide Oval that had ended inside three days. A determined Team India then staged a remarkable comeback by registering a famous win in the Boxing Day Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to keep the series alive.
The hosts had the upper hand in the third Test match at the SCG. However, the visitors were not to go down without a fight. In fact, the odds were against them on Day 5 as they had to survive the entire day with a mammoth target of 407 looking far-fetched and only had eight wickets in hand. On top of that, they were short of one batsman Ravindra Jadeja who has been ruled out of the remainder of the series due to a thumb fracture.
Nonetheless, Rahane & Co. batted out the final three sessions of the contest to ensure that the four-match series is tied at 1-1.
Now, the Aussies must win the series-decider in order to seal the series. If the final Test match ends in a stalemate, then not only will the four-match series be tied at 1-1, but India will also end up retaining the iconic Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Team India are the current holders of the prestigious trophy after having won the previous edition of the four-match Test series 2-1 in the 2018-19 season. It was also India's first-ever Test series win on Australian soil.
(With PTI Inputs)
Updated 22:16 IST, January 13th 2021