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Jack Leach is still England's best spinner in my eyes: Nathan Lyon

Jack Leach is still England's best spinner in my eyes: Nathan Lyon

India Today31-07-2025
Veteran Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has backed Jack Leach as England's premier spinner, despite the emergence of Shoaib Bashir and Jacob Bethell. Lyon said Leach's control and experience still make him the most dependable option in the current setup.Lyon, one of Australia's top Test wicket-takers, admitted he felt flattered when James Anderson said Bashir was chosen to play a role similar to his. However, he maintained that Leach remains England's best bet.advertisementAlso Read: India will be tough to beat at home in Women's ODI World Cup: Alyssa Healy
While Bashir has impressed and Bethell gets his chance in the fifth Test at The Oval, Lyon's words underline the respect Leach commands at the highest level."I obviously played with Jimmy Anderson last year at Lancashire, and they basically said that they're picking Bashir to do what I do. So I took a little bit of pride out of Jimmy respecting a little bit of what I've been able to do in my career. But Bashir has been okay,' Lyon said at a Cricket Australia sponsorship announcement in Sydney."Jacob Bethell is playing this Test match [at The Oval against India], and he looks like he'll take up the spin bowling from Liam Dawson. But in my eyes, Jack Leach is still their best spinner,' Lyon added.Jack Leach shining for EnglandLeach has played 39 Test matches for England, taking 142 wickets at an average of 34.07, with best figures of 5 for 66. He debuted in March 2018 vs New Zealand and last appeared in a Test in Pakistan at Rawalpindi from 24-28 October 2024.Since that tour, England have not selected him: he last played Tests in October 2024 in Pakistan. Over his career, Leach gained fame for his dramatic unbeaten one-run cameo in the 2019 Headingley Ashes Test, helping England chase down a record 359 runs.In county cricket, he remains in form: in 2025 he claimed 39 Championship wickets at 25.66 average, including two six-wicket hauls.- EndsMust Watch
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