Top 5 Test wicket-takers in 2017

#1 Nathan Lyon - 63 wickets

Lyon's consistency helped Australia improve drastically in subcontinental conditions

Unarguably, Nathan Lyon was the most improved bowler in 2017. While he had already displayed his prowess on bouncier surfaces down under, there were persistent doubts over his capacity to adapt himself against Asian batsmen on turning tracks in the subcontinent. During the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Bengaluru, the off-spinner registered the best figures by a visiting bowler on Indian soil and consequently banished all scepticism in grand style.

On spin-friendly pitches in Bangladesh, Lyon took his game to the next level. In the second Test at Chittagong, he devoured 13 scalps to help Australia pull off a series-levelling victory. From 11 Tests, the 30-year old picked 63 wickets to become the most prolific bowler of 2017. An average of 23.55 and strike-rate of 52.5 as well as five five-wicket hauls vindicate his marked progress in the calendar year.