"I think it is the best in the last 10 years" - Rahul Dravid on the Australian spin trio's performance in India
Rahul Dravid has hailed the Australian trio of Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy as the best spin-bowling unit India have faced at home in the last ten years. The Team India head coach said that all three spinners bowled equally well and provided a stiff challenge for the hosts during the recently-concluded Border-Gavskar Trophy.
While Lyon was arguably the standout bowler for Australia with 22 wickets in four Tests, Murphy and Kuhnemann showed massive potential. They picked up one fifer each and bowled with immense control throughout the series.
Speaking after the drawn Test in Ahmedabad, Dravid suggested that the Australian trio were at par with the likes of Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar - who spun England to a Test series win in India in 2012.
As quoted by Firstpost, Dravid said:
"A lot of the guys were saying that for the quality of spin they had to play, which made the series win all the more sweeter. Some of the guys were saying since Panesar and Swann probably have not played over the last decade a couple of spinners of this kind of quality or this quality of spells, they have played individual spinners who have been great over the years, but to have a quality spin attack I think it is the best in the last 10 years."
Lyon, the senior spinner in the Aussie line-up, started the series slowly but got better as the series progressed. The 35-year-old snared a fifer in the second Test in Delhi, while his 11 wickets in Indore sealed an emphatic win for the tourists.
Murphy scalped seven wickets on his debut in Nagpur, while Kuhnemann took a fifer in the first innings in Indore.
"Lot of times we have seen overseas teams have only one good spinner" - Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid said that all three Australian spinners were decisive in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, unlike other visiting teams in India whose lead spinners usually lack support.
Dravid said:
"They have been exceptional, led by Nathan Lyon. He has been brilliant for Australia for many years but right through the series he was exceptional, the kind of pressure and control he gave Cummins and Smith was outstanding. Both young gave him that kind of support."
"Lot of times we have seen overseas teams have only one good spinner and the others leak runs, but credit to the two young spinners, they maintained that pressure and picked wickets."
India and Australia will also clash in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, which starts on June 7.