Pat Cummins' staggering call on Nathan Lyon and Shane Warne after 500th Test wicket
The Australian cricket captain believes Lyon can join the likes of Shane Warne in taking 700 Test wickets by the end of his career.
Pat Cummins believes Nathan Lyon can join the late Shane Warne in surpassing 700 Test wickets. Lyon joined legendary Australians, Warne (703) and Glenn McGrath (563), in the exclusive 500-club when he took the wicket of allrounder Faheem Ashraf in the second innings of Australia's first Test against Pakistan.
The off-spinner claimed match figures of 5-80 to help Australia to a dominant 360-run victory. The feat was made even more impressive as it was his Test return from a calf injury suffered in the Ashes series earlier this year which sidelined him for months. "(The milestone) is something I'm very proud about," Lyon said following the match. "I don't think it's probably hit me yet.
'ABSOLUTELY NOT': Mitch Marsh shuts down David Warner question
HUGE NEWS: Nathan Lyon and his wife Emma share secret personal news
"There's been a lot of hard work go into the journey. I've had a lot more bad days than good days," he said. "It was pretty special to be able to take 500 in the first Test back (from a calf injury)."
The 36-year-old previously stated his intent to win an Ashes series in England, with the next series in the UK taking place in 2027 when he will be 39. Lyon appears a strong chance of surpassing McGrath in the coming years but his captain is confident that he can go even further and reach the 700 mark, a milestone only reached by Warne and Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan.
"I still think you've got, say 40, 50 Test matches (left)," Cummins told Lyon at a joint post-match press conference. "That's four or five years, 10 (Tests) a year. You probably average what? Four a game? That's another couple hundred; 700."
Lyon currently sits eighth in the all-time standings for most Test wickets with West Indies quick Courtney Walsh (519) the next in his sights. He made his Test debut in Sri Lanka in 2011 and has since become Australia's greatest off-spinner across 123 matches.
Nathan Lyon and his wife Emma confirm birth of their child
Lyon and his wife also on Sunday confirmed months-long rumours that they recently had a baby. His wife Emma told Channel 7 that they recently welcomed their first child together.
"We've had a baby, it's just a lot. Rehab, the Ashes, India. It's been non-stop," Emma said. "So to have him home for a couple of months was really lovely, but not on those terms, but just to see him throughout today is just amazing."
In a separate interview with Lyon, Channel 7's Mel McLachlan said: “You talk about your wife and I bumped into you at the SCG a couple of weeks ago and you were absolutely smitten with a new baby. You couldn’t gush about her enough, you’re madly in love. Beautiful stuff in terms of the family side." Emma is Lyon's second wife and he has two daughters, Harper and Milla, with his ex Mel.
Most wickets in Test cricket history (as of December 18):
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) - 800
Shane Warne (AUS) - 708
Jimmy Anderson (ENG) - 690 (still playing)
Anil Kumble (IND) - 619
Stuart Broad (ENG) - 604
Glenn McGrath (AUS) - 563
Courtney Walsh (WI) - 516
Nathan Lyon (AUS) - 501 (still playing)
Ravi Ashwin (IND) - 489 (still playing)
Dale Steyn (SA) - 439
with AAP
Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.
