ESPNcricinfo Awards 2023 Men's Test bowling winner: Nathan takes the Lyon's share

It is not easy to beat India in India in Test cricket. Coming into this match, they had lost only two matches in ten years at home, and had taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series against Australia. On an Indore that was rated below average, they opted to bat after winning the toss but came undone against Australia's spinners and folded for 109. Australia fared much better and scored 197.

The Test moved at such a pace that India started their second innings before lunch on the second day. Australia knew they needed to bowl them out cheaply once again to give themselves a real chance, and Lyon, who had taken three wickets in the first innings, did so by claiming another eight.

It can be tricky to attack the stumps when the pitch is turning square. Lyon found a way by bowling predominantly from around the stumps. In fact, all his eight wickets came from that angle, and six of them were either bowled or lbw.

Shubman Gill stepped out to attack him but failed to get to the pitch of the ball and was bowled. Rohit Sharma found himself stuck in the crease against a quicker one and was lbw. Ravindra Jadeja, promoted to No. 5, stood no chance either.

India wiped off the deficit and went 30 ahead before Lyon roared again, to pick up the remaining five wickets. KS Bharat and R Ashwin tried to smother the turn with big front-foot strides; neither was successful. Bharat was beaten on the outside edge to be bowled, Ashwin on the inside to be lbw.

Only Pujara offered any resistance. He moved to 42 off 81 before Lyon decided to bowl dry with a leg-side-heavy field, and eventually dismissed him for 59. India were skittled out for 163, and Australia chased their target of 76 down with nine wickets in hand.

The Lyon vs Pujara battle might not have the glamour of Warne vs Tendulkar, but it makes up for it with gripping contests. Here, Pujara had kept India in the match with a fighting half-century. To all other batters, Lyon almost exclusively bowled from around the wicket; for Pujara, he had to try different things. But whenever he went over the wicket, Pujara cashed in on it, including stepping out and launching one over deep midwicket. Lyon eventually had his man when Pujara flicked one to leg slip where Steven Smith took a one-handed blinder. The wicket ensured Australia did not have to chase too many.

2 Number of eight-wicket hauls for Lyon in India, the only visiting bowler to have taken two.

56 Number of wickets Lyon has taken in India. No other opposition bowler has taken more wickets in the country.

2 Number of Test matches Australia have won in India since 2004. This was the second.

"He [Lyon] bowled the line where the batters needed to play. The outside edge came into play, the inside edge came into play with short leg, and then lbw and bowled. I think his line was immaculate in this Test. And he bowls at a pace where it is not easy to step out."
- Wasim Jaffer, former India batter

Ravindra Jadeja
7 for 42 vs Australia, second Test, Delhi
Jadeja's accuracy paid dividends on a pitch that offered variable turn and uneven bounce. Of his seven victims, five were bowled, and four fell to sweeps or reverse sweeps. After conceding 36 in his first seven overs for one wicket, he picked up 6 for 6 in his next 5.1 to help India bundle out Australia for 113 and set up a six-wicket win.