'Everyone is going to think this is a big statement, but I think the bowling squad in that change room there is the best in the world. I believe that and I'm very confident that we (Australia) are the best in the world,' Nathan Lyon said
Manchester: Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon has declared his team’s bowling attack as the best in the world and also said Pat Cummins is the best bowler in the world.
The 31-year-old Lyon made these comments after Australia defeated England by 185 runs in the fourth Test at Old Trafford to retain the Ashes.
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"Everyone is going to think this is a big statement, but I think the bowling squad in that change room there is the best in the world. I believe that and I'm very confident that we are the best in the world,” Lyon said.
"To have the fast-bowling stocks that we've got as the Australian cricket team at the moment, we're very lucky. But in saying that the boys are working their backsides off. There's no surprise they're out there reaping the rewards they deserve,” he added.
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Lyon said Cummins is the best bowler in the world. Cummins is the number one Test bowler in ICC Rankings. “You've got Pat Cummins, the best bowler in the world in my view but then Josh Hazlewood, jeez, if he's not second I don't know who is.”
"But then you've got 'Starcy' (Mitchell Starc), 'Patto' (Pat Cummins), 'Sidds' (Peter Siddle), Michael Neser as well. In that change room right now I think we've got the best bowling attack in the world," he added.
Lyon, who has 359 wickets from 90 Tests, might have started a debate with his comments about best bowling attack. India possess top Test bowlers and many consider Jasprit Bumrah as the best in the world.
Recently, after India whitewashed West Indies 2-0, captain Virat Kohli had hailed Bumrah as “the most complete bowler in the world”. Bumrah, who is the number three ranked Test bowler in ICC table, took a hat-trick against West Indies.
"He (Bumrah) confuses you with angles, with swing, he'll set up for the outswinger, then bowl the inswinger, and it's coming at pace, and then he can hit you with bouncers as well. So I think he is the most complete bowler in world cricket right now," Kohli had said.
“There is not much you can say about Jasprit, the way he has been bowling. All we can say is we are really lucky to have him on our team. Very rarely do you find a pack of bowlers who are hunting together. And bowling for each other, bowling in partnerships. If you see today, he had a bit of a niggle, but he came in and just bowled three overs in a spot, did the job for the team when he was in pain as well,” he added.
India have five bowlers in the top-20 of the ICC Test Rankings while Australia have three with Cummins (1), Josh Hazlewood (12) and Mitchell Starc (17).
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