Nathan Lyon vs Ravi Ashwin: Who is the world's best off-spinner?

Bowling Partners

Nathan Lyon usually has to play a supporting role to pacers in Australian conditions

One argument that has been made to project Ashwin’s superiority over Lyon is that while the former has to lead his team’s bowling attack at home, the latter has a whole battery of impressive pacers to assist him.

This argument suggests that Lyon gets many of his wickets because the visiting batsmen in Australia are so troubled by home team’s pacers that they look to attack Lyon when he comes on to bowl, thereby taking more chances and giving him more wickets.

This argument has some merit and certainly there have been series, like the 2013-14 Ashes, where Lyon was the weakest link in the bowling attack. But then, the same argument can be turned around in favor of Nathan Lyon as well.

Since he has very potent pace bowlers alongside him, he has to share wickets with them. These pacers also have conditions in their favor so they are likely to get more wickets leaving Lyon to pick up the scraps. Ashwin, on the other hand, has most of the wickets in the opposition ready to be picked by him. Yes, he does have Jadeja and, occasionally, a third spinner alongside him but they are not as prolific wicket-takers as Lyon’s bowling partners have been.

Here, too the facts do not suggest a clear advantage for Ashwin over Lyon.