Saqlain Mushtaq chooses Nathan Lyon over R Ashwin as the best Test spinner of this era

Saqlain Mushtaq has picked Aussie spinner, Nathan Lyon, over veteran off-spinner as the best spinner of this era in red-ball cricket. Lyon has 390 scalps in 96 Test matches that he has featured in while Ashwin has picked up 365 wickets in 71 matches that he has played so far. Last year, the Tamil Nadu cricketer had also equaled Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan’s record of being the fastest to take 350 wickets in the game's longest format. 

READ: Javagal Srinath Reveals How India Could Have Won The 2003 World Cup Final Against Aussies

'Best spinner': Saqlain Mushtaq 

While speaking to a cricket news website, Saqlain went on to say in the longer version, he reckons that Nathan Lyon is the best spinner in the world as he has performed against the majority of the top sides including India and Pakistan. Meanwhile, he also mentioned that Ashwin is a good bowler as well but in home conditions. At the same time, the former spinner added that when it comes to the limited-overs format, Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav is a really good spinner and he is well educated in a cricketing sense.

When it comes to the away performances of both the champion spinners, Lyon scores over Ashwin here as well. Ravi Ashwin has 111 wickets in 28 away Tests while his Australian counterpart has picked 184 wickets in 44 matches that have been played away from home. 

All the cricketing events have been called off since the month of March due to the ongoing global pandemic. The IPL 2020 that was originally scheduled to get underway on March 29 has been indefinitely suspended as of now due to coronavirus fear. Ashwin was all set to play for his new franchise Delhi Capitals in the 13th edition of the tournament. 

The offie was roped in by the Capitals after he was released by the 2014 finalists Kings XI Punjab whom he had led for two seasons in 2018, and, 2019 respectively. 

READ: 'Young Actor Gone Too Soon': MS Dhoni's Childhood Coach On Sushant Rajput's Untimely Death

(Image Courtesy: AP)