Australian veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon reached another major milestone in his illustrious Test career on Thursday, becoming the sixth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history during the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide.
Lyon claimed his 564th Test wicket on day two of the match, overtaking fellow Australian legend Glenn McGrath. The landmark moment came when Lyon bowled England opener Ben Duckett in his 141st Test. He went on to produce a stunning opening over, also dismissing Ollie Pope, underlining his impact with the ball.
With this achievement, Lyon now sets his sights on climbing further up the all-time list. His next target is England fast bowler Stuart Broad, who finished his career with 604 Test wickets, followed by former India spinner Anil Kumble with 619.
At the top of the Test wicket-taking chart remains Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan with 800 wickets. He is followed by Australia’s Shane Warne on 708 and England’s great James Anderson on 704.
Lyon recently said he feels he is in some of the best form of his career and has no immediate plans to retire from Test cricket. He has credited part of his longevity to stepping away from international white-ball cricket in 2019, allowing him to focus fully on the longer format.
