They fought, they sledged each other, and now they are in the 500 Test wicket club. Once an arch-rival in the battle of off-spinners, Nathan Lyon has welcomed Ravichandran Ashwin into the elite club with a heartfelt short message on his social media channels. With the wicket of Zak Crawley in IND vs ENG 3rd Test, Ashwin became only the second Indian bowler after Anil Kumble to scalp 500 wickets in Test cricket.
Ashwin vs Lyon
Once, the two off-spinners had a fierce rivalry on the pitch. If Ashwin completed his 100 Test wickets in November of 2013, Nathan Lyon got there a month later. However, from then on, Lyon surged ahead. He completed 200 Test wickets in July of 2016 while Ashwin reached the feat in September. Nathan Lyon completed his 500 Test wickets against Pakistan in December last year.
“Hi Ash, just wanted to say, massive congratulations for taking 500 Test match wickets. It’s been an incredible journey to watch. I have got nothing but respect for the way you have gone about it. It’s been amazing to be competing against you, but also learn from you. Congratulations and plenty more to come,” Nathan Lyon said in the message.
While the two were rivals not so long ago, Ashwin and Lyon are now friends with mutual admiration and respect for each other. Recently, Nathan Lyon invited Ashwin for a beer once they finished their careers. The two might have a shot at that meet and greet when India tour Australia in December this year.
“It’s been quite a long journey. Firstly I’d like to dedicate this feat to my father. He’s been with me through thick and thin, probably had a heart attack every time he’s watched me play. His health has probably gone for a toss because of that,” Ravichandran Ashwin said on his achievement after the end of Day 2 of IND vs ENG 3rd Test.
