It isn't easy to break through in Indian cricket, where competition is perhaps the fiercest in the world. With thousands of young talents vying for limited spots, many are never able to debut at all, while some only manage to play a handful of games. That’s what makes Varun Chakravarthy’s journey truly remarkable. Now regarded as one of India's best white-ball spinners, Varun’s path to the national team wasn’t a traditional one. At 33, he has only been an international cricketer for four years. Yet, today he is an integral part of India’s ODI and T20 World Cup squads—a testament to his perseverance and self-belief.

Interestingly, cricket wasn’t even his first career choice. In a candid conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on the latter’s YouTube channel, Varun revealed that he once worked as an assistant architect after completing college. "Right after I completed college, I was working in an architectural company for one and a half years as an assistant architect. I started with around 14k a month, and it was 18k around the time I left," he said. He then explored his love for music by picking up the guitar but soon realized that passion alone wasn’t enough. “If your goal is to please others or get attention from others, it is never going to work out. I was never able to practice guitar for more than an hour,” he shared.

After quitting music, Varun started his own interior design and construction firm, which ran well for a year before being shut down due to Cyclone Vardha. "I lost all my investment. So that ended as well. I was around 24-25 then," he recalled. It was during this turbulent phase that he turned to the entertainment industry, not as an actor, but with the goal of becoming an assistant director.

From Film Sets to Cricket Fields

"Some of my friends were part of the film industry, and I started seeing a lot of movies and accompanying them to shoots to observe what was happening," Varun explained. He was present at the shooting of the Tamil film Jeeva, which was being filmed on various cricket grounds. “I went there with the intention of becoming an Assistant Director, but that didn't work out. I couldn't even make a proper pitch. Then one of the ADs asked me if I played cricket. I said, 'Only tennis-ball cricket.' So then I got to act in this movie, where I was signed as a junior artist with a salary of INR 600 per day,” he said. That experience proved invaluable at the time.

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As the shoot went on for 20 days, Varun found himself increasingly drawn to the storytelling process. "I liked the entire process. Then I started writing a few stories and scripts, but when I pitched to a few guys, I realized that I was getting the emotions right, but I wasn't able to translate them as a screenplay. I directed a few short films," he revealed. Today, as a key player in India's national team, he earns a daily allowance of USD 300 (INR 25652.78), a stunning 4200% increase from his Rs 600-per-day acting gig.

Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin heaped praise on Rishabh Pant for his exceptional performance in the first Test against England at Leeds, where the wicketkeeper-batter struck centuries in both innings. Despite Pant’s heroics, India lost the game by five wickets. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin made an interesting comparison, saying that Pant should be measured alongside elite top-order batters like Virat Kohli rather than former captain MS Dhoni, who never batted as high as No. 5 in Tests.

“… Rishabh Pant should be compared with the likes of Virat Kohli… He is a mainstream batter. Because he has so much time… some of these special batters have that knack of picking the ball early. They pick the line quickly, pick the length quickly, and they get into lovely positions. Rishabh Pant is one of those rare players who has got that special skill,” Ashwin said. The spinner also made a light-hearted appeal to Pant regarding his signature celebration, adding, “I’ve only one request: please don’t do that front flip. In Tests, your body gets tired, unlike in IPL where you will not play more than 50–60 balls. He is a bona fide top batter in the Indian lineup. So he has nothing to prove.”

Pant’s twin centuries were historic, making him only the second designated wicketkeeper in the history of Test cricket to score centuries in both innings. The first was Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower, who scored 142 & 199* against South Africa in Harare in 2001. Ashwin lauded Pant's shot-making ability and his temperament but urged him to convert those knocks into even bigger contributions in the future.

Ashwin Urges Pant to Stretch His Innings Further

“Rishabh has had a fabulous game as a batter. But I would like to repeat that Rishabh has a great defense. There is not one shot in the book that he cannot play…” said Ashwin. He suggested that Pant, given his potential and form, should look to convert his centuries into double hundreds in Tests.

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“Can I request you to make a double 100 next time when you’re batting at 130? Because, you know that lower order doesn’t mean more contribution. So, in your situation, I request you to please take the team to the last day,” Ashwin said, stressing Pant’s importance in steering the team to safety in the longer format.

Another storied TATA IPL (Indian Premier League) season came to a glorious and fitting end on 3rd June 2025. Fans witnessed several records set and a first-time champion in RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru). As fancied as it could get, the season had it all. The anticipation, close encounters, youthful flavour, geo-political tensions, unprecedented pause, new-age resumption, intense playoff battles, edge-of-the-seat final, and a new winner, the season delivered beyond its expectations. As always, it turned out to be a cricketing extravaganza. 

However, with every passing season, we unfortunately bid adieu to some of the long-serving players. It is this hysterical side of sports that makes the fans, unwillingly, heavy-hearted, and come to terms with the reality. As much as the emotional fans wish for their favourite players to always continue playing, the sport must be met with certain realistic expectations. As the 'Generation-Next' takes center stage, the 'Generation-Bold' makes way for them to seize their moments and sustain themselves for years to come. The IPL turned 18 this time, and fortunate are those who have seen some of the legends grace the cricket field. These great players have blessed the game and their fans alike. Their enchanting charm is something they developed courtesy of their gifted skills and then evolved with the fickle dynamics of the game. 

Having been at the helm of the sport and in the peak of their powers, they saw it all. From personal milestones to achieving team silverware and everything in between, they have completed the set. When age gets the better of them and they comprehend well enough to do justice to their game, they realise that the time is perfect for them to hang up their boots and let the youngsters build on the legacy. Considering that and accounting for several other factors, some veterans might have played for the last time in the IPL 2025. Let's take a look at some of those names and their IPL journeys hitherto. 

See Also: Emerging Stars of IPL 2025: Future of Indian Cricket?

MS Dhoni

The most successful captain of the Indian Cricket Team has been a stalwart and brand for the CSK (Chennai Super Kings) since the inception of the IPL in 2008. As the franchise's skipper, he has led the team to the ultimate glory five times in his glorious career. From a batting perspective, MS has been a great finisher for his side, both in setting up mammoth scores and in pulling off unimaginable chases in a gobsmacking fashion. The wicket-keeper batter has played the most number of matches (276) and also as a captain (226). Nicknamed 'Thala', meaning 'A Leader' in Tamil, by multitudes of his supporters, he further holds the record for hitting the most number of sixes as a captain (222) and most dismissals from behind the stumps (200).

However, over the past few seasons, Dhoni has struggled to keep up with the pace of the modern format of the game. He has had dismal batting returns, turning his presence as a lower-order batter into a liability. His wicket-keeping skills are still second to none, though. With the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) amending certain rules before the mega auction, bracketing players retired from the international game for the past five years as uncapped, allowed MS to be considered at the lowest retention contract of 4 crores. This rule enabled the CSK to retain their most celebrated icon and sustain his IPL career for probably a year or two. Turning 44 years in July 2025 and carrying a knee injury for the majority part of the last few years, Dhoni might seriously consider retiring now. If so, he might next opt for a mentor role to nourish the youngsters by passing on his gold-valued experiences. If not even now, then the impact player rule could be the only saviour to prolong him by another season. 

Rohit Sharma

The Mumbai Indians' (MI) talismanic opener and former captain has been a batting spearhead for the franchise since 2011. Under his leadership, the MI won five IPL titles, the same as the CSK. In the 2025 season, Rohit Sharma crossed 7000 runs in IPL cricket along with 300 sixes. As illustrious as he has been for the national side, the powerful batter has brought immense glory to the Ambani-owned franchise. Under his tutelage, several players have established themselves in the circuit and flourished exceedingly well. 

With international cricket behind him, playing only the ODI (One Day International) format currently, and age not on his side, Sharma navigated the entire 2025 season as an impact batter for the MI. He came in as an opener, scored inconsistently over the campaign, and fielded minimally. His often below-par batting returns have been a concern for the team management. His role of instantly taking the attack to the opposition has returned rich dividends only on a few occasions. With a mini-auction before the next season, it might be interesting to know about the players retained by the franchise. Rohit's decision to continue playing in the IPL might be completely based on that. 

Ravichandran Ashwin

R. Ashwin, India's second most successful test bowler after Anil Kumble, has mostly been on the move in terms of IPL franchise cricket. He started with the CSK in 2009 and fulfilled his circle moment by returning there, his home franchise, for the 2025 season. Between these two stints, he plied his trade with several other teams, including the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), Delhi Capitals (DC), and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Known for his immaculate bowling prowess, Ash has always stayed ahead of the batters and disguised them with his impeccable guile. Having amassed more than 170 wickets in his IPL career so far, the Tamil spin geek has enjoyed a successful time in India's glorious domestic T20 league. This also included leading the KXIP team in 2018. Moreover, Ashwin has also been deployed as a pinch-hitter batter by various teams and sent up in the order. On many instances, his counter-attacking hitting has eased the pressure on the batting side and instead put it back on the bowlers. 

Over the past few seasons, Ashwin has not been a regular starter in the playing XI for whichever franchise he has played for. Lack of international cricket in his strides and teams relying more on leggies and mystery spinners have complicated his case manifold. This explains his exclusion and might tempt him to consider retirement before the next season. Ashwin has always wanted to give up on the game at his home, the M. Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai. This wish of his came true when he was selected by the CSK in the auction for the just-concluded season.

Faf Du Plessis

Faf Du Plessis, the South-African maestro, is arguably the most underrated IPL player ever. He debuted in the league for the CSK in 2011. In the initial stages, he was more of a gun fielder than a prolific batter. Over the years, his explosive batting gradually became a symbol of his identity, and he solidified his position as a long-term opener for the team in yellow. With the CSK, he won the tournament in 2011, 2018, and 2021. His performances, initially unnoticed, picked up in credibility and appreciation during the 2018 season, when he was one of the highest run scorers and bailed his team out in crunch situations. The Proteas' player subsequently played for the RCB as their captain in 2023-24 and was bought by the DC for the 2025 season. 

Faf is now a globetrotter in franchise cricket, having retired from the international game and exercising his play across different global T20 leagues. This year, in the IPL, unfortunately, he found himself plagued with injuries and was forced to miss quite a few matches. He eventually played as an impact player and didn't field much on several occasions. With the IPL always evolving and teams usually looking at multi-faceted players, Du Plessis might seem saturated and be out of plans for many teams soon. These signs could hint at a possible retirement from the Indian League. 

David Warner

David Warner, fondly remembered as 'The Pocket-Sized Dynamo', has been one of the best overseas players in the history of the IPL. Known for storming the league with his batting, the explosive left-handed Aussie stands among the highest run scorers in the eighteen seasons of the tournament. Having played for the DC and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Warner has accumulated over 6500 runs and possesses the second-highest number of 50-plus scores. He also led the SRH to IPL glory in 2016. He has been the mainstay of every batting order over the years, which has fetched him the orange cap for scoring the maximum runs on multiple occasions. 

Recently, the opener has gradually run out of favour and has been in and out of the side frequently. His run-scoring abilities and strike rate have dropped, and this has made him a lesser utility player. For 2025, he registered himself in the auction at a base price of 2 crore but didn't find any buyers, and went unsold. Although Warner has been playing in all the other global T20 leagues, going by the current IPL trends, his name might not even come up in the next mini-auction. Thus, a certain fan favourite in him would possibly have to bid farewell to the league that brought him glory and improved his international game as well. 

Ravichandran Ashwin has made a comeback to domestic cricket in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) after a disappointing season of IPL 2025. Playing for Chennai Super Kings, Ashwin could not make any difference, taking only seven wickets and scoring 33 runs in nine games. Now captaining the Dindigul Dragons, the 38-year-old all-rounder seemed keen to rectify the situation in the TNPL, but his latest outing was controversial.

During the game against IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans on Sunday, Ashwin exchanged heated words with an umpire. This happened in the 5th over of the Dragons' innings, after the captain of Tiruppur, R. Sai Kishore, decided to bowl first. On the fifth delivery of the over, Ashwin was given LBW by the on-field umpire. Yet, the veteran cricketer refuted the decision vehemently, claiming that the ball had pitched outside leg-stump.

Although he protested, the umpire did not waver, and Ashwin was forced to return to the dugout after scoring 18 runs. Clearly agitated, he expressed his displeasure by banging his pads with the bat while walking towards the dugout. The Dragons were never able to get back on their feet after the early troubles and were bowled out for a paltry 93 runs, as Tiruppur bowlers ruled the roost.

Tiruppur Clinch First Win Amid Ashwin's Frustration

Tiruppur Tamizhans made light work of the modest target, chasing down 94 runs in 11.5 overs. Tushar Raheja starred with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 65 off just 39 balls. The emphatic win gave Tiruppur their first points of the season after their loss to Chepauk Super Gillies at the start of the season.

Watch the video here

Ash anna vs TNPL umpires never ending love story

Please bring DRS in TNPL also !pic.twitter.com/iTBpQwaqkh

— Sekar 𝕏 (@itzSekar) June 8, 2025

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The loss for Ashwin and the Dragons was a contrast to their season opener against the Lyca Kovai Kings. Ashwin's form has persisted from the IPL, where he and CSK had a disastrous season, ending last at the points table with a mere four victories from 14 games. The episode and performance again raise doubts over the veteran player's form and leadership before the season's big challenges.

In the eagerly anticipated IPL 2025 encounter featuring Gujarat Titans (GT) vs. Chennai Super Kings (CSK), fans were surprised to see veteran all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin omitted from the lineup. The rationale for this unexpected change came directly from CSK captain MS Dhoni. Just prior to the last game of the season, Dhoni confirmed tactical changes to the team's final line-up; following discussion, Deepak Hooda made his way into the playing XI at the expense of Ashwin. 

Dhoni elaborated that the decision was impacted by the team's position on the points after using their last match as a tactical alignment to remodify the squad that involved Ravichandran Ashwin. “We’re last on the table and will stay last whether we win or lose. We just want to enjoy our cricket. We have one change—Hooda comes in for Ashwin,” Dhoni said when explaining the purpose of the change, and looking at the significance of Ashwin and the team, it was looking for a robust performance with a view toward the season and looking for the other CSK player to have one last shot.

Given Ravichandran Ashwin's experience and ability to play as a bowler and batter, his omission is impactful. However, given CSK's trouble within the league, MS Dhoni's current position has given him the freedom to try new tactics without the demand for results. The decision to include Deepak Hooda, known for his aggressive batting and handy spin bowling, reflects a shift towards a more dynamic and fresh approach.

Tactical changes for the last game 

CSK's captaincy seems to be more about having fun and experimenting in this last game of the IPL 2025 season rather than worrying about results. They have no chance of getting off the last position, so with nothing to lose, the team wants to finish this tournament in a better mood, telling players to enjoy themselves while they play freely. Having Hooda instead of Ashwin is a way to inject energy and variation into the middle order and look at combinations that they can possibly use in the future.

Also Read: WATCH: Chennai Super Kings special edit for MS Dhoni in their last league match of IPL 2025

We will miss Ashwin's experience, but this provides him an opportunity to rest and recuperate at the end of a long and stressful season. As for CSK fans, they just want to see how Hooda copes with the pressure in this big game and if this young lineup will bring a bit of vigor to the end of their campaign.

Veteran Indian leg-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has added fuel to an India captaincy controversy for their forthcoming Test series against England on June 20, 2025, in Headingley by suggesting a surprise candidate to captain the side in Ravindra Jadeja. Talking on his YouTube show 'Ash Ki Baat' on May 15, 2025, Ashwin recognized the common sentiment supporting Shubman Gill, who has been groomed to lead and recently took Gujarat Titans to the IPL 2025 points table top, but also brought to the forefront Jasprit Bumrah as a strong candidate before pushing for Jadeja, saying, "Everybody is saying that Shubman Gill is the Test captain. All are heading that way. But there is a big voice in Jasprit Bumrah, and why do we overlook Ravindra Jadeja?"

Ashwin's endorsement of Jadeja comes in a period of transition for Indian Test cricket, after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the game earlier this month. A lot of experience comes with Jadeja, who has 312 Test wickets and 3,036 runs in 74 Tests, and he was a significant factor in India's success in the 2018-19 Test series in Australia.  Ashwin noted Jadeja's leadership ambitions, referencing his brief time as captain of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL in 2022 and his goal to captain India, stating that "the most experienced man in the side is Ravindra Jadeja."

A New Era for Indian Test Cricket

Recent news, though, points to trouble for the other candidates, as Bumrah has ruled himself out of the captaincy contest on workload grounds, given that he might not play all five Tests, and Gill does not have experience leading India in Tests or ODIs. The selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, will soon convene later this month to finalize the team and captain, as Jadeja's name now gathers momentum.

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Ashwin's recommendation of Jadeja may be a tactical decision to use the all-rounder's know-how to lead an inexperienced group in a tough series in England, signaling the beginning of the next World Test Championship cycle. In the absence of the likes of Kohli and Sharma, the selected skipper will be under tremendous pressure, and Ashwin's proposal is the turning point for India's future in Test cricket.

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK), five-time champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), faced a dismal IPL 2025 campaign after an abject five-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. This latest defeat brought CSK’s total losses to seven, as the MS Dhoni-led team sat at the bottom of the table. Despite their legacy of success, Head Coach Stephen Fleming admitted the core of the Yellow Army were devastated by auction mistakes. There are 3 major auction mistakes that prevented CSK from being competitive.

1. Paying too Much for R Ashwin

CSK possibly took a huge gamble when paying INR 9.75 crore for Ravichandran Ashwin. From 2021 to 2024, R. Ashwin did not replicate his historic IPL success, taking 42 wickets in 57 innings with an average of 39.7 and a strike rate of 30.8. The 38-year-old off-spinner seems to have lost some pizzazz of his youth, as he was unable to spin the ball with relative revolutions, making it more difficult to deliver clean and effective deliveries. In IPL 2025, Ashwin ended with only five wickets in seven matches and an economy rate of 9.29. CSK's nostalgia for its former superstar seemingly cost them budget considerations and the ability to spot an explosive batter to bolster its flaky batting lineup.

2. The Retention of Ravindra Jadeja at a Premium

One of the more obvious blunders made by CSK was deciding to retain all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for INR 18 crore! Jadeja, aged 36, returned for the IPL 2025 season with dismal performances, managing to score 166 runs at a mediocre strike rate of 125.76, while only managing to take 6 wickets at an average of 31.33 with an economy of 8.23 during the tournament. CSK's choice to retain him was misguided, as Jadeja has been on a downward spiral in T20 cricket. At INR 18 crore, he could not possibly add enough value to justify his retention price! CSK could have negotiated up a much lower retain, thus freeing space in their salary cap to buy quality T20 cricketers at the mega auction. CSK really misread the situation, which meant they could not build a balanced squad.

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3. Prioritizing All-Rounders Over Specialists

The combination of bits-and-pieces players Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Vijay Shankar, and Deepak Hooda were key areas of focus at the auction for CSK, while there was a lack of focus on studying specialist talent. During this phase - when other teams were spotting and drafting emerging star cricketers like Priyansh Arya and Vignesh Puthur—CSK was banking on the power of aging veterans! As it turned out, CSK's players could not perform at the level they were expected to. The result was a series of simultaneous changes in the team, and improvement was random and slow. Key batter Ruturaj Gaikwad was injured and unavailable, and a lack of reliance on a core group and specialist players became CSK's downfall. Also, it was a clear indication that CSK had failed to recognize the modern-day T20 game, and their approach at the auction signposted this.

IPL 2025: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has started their IPL 2025 campaign in the worst way possible. The 5-time Indian Premier League winning team faced 3 defeats in 4 games they played so far, including last night's match against the Delhi Capitals, where CSK lost the battle while chasing the target.

Read More: IPL 2025: RCB Playing 11 vs MI

The situation for the team becomes more rough when a journalist asks CSK head coach Stephen Fleming about Ravichandran Ashwin's YouTube channel. Earlier, before the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League, a video was uploaded on Ashwin's YouTube channel, where some panelists criticized the team building of Chennai Super Kings and the performance of the team.

Noor Ahmed was mentioned in the video 

One of the panelists present in the video said that Noor Ahmed should not be picked from the auction by CSK management. Noor Ahmed is now the most consistent performer in the team. Perhaps the young Afghan was not bright enough against Delhi Capitals, but on average he tried to perform steadily, taking 10 scalps in 4 matches at a 7.86 economy rate, which makes him the highest wicket-taker in the ongoing IPL 2025 edition.

So the reporter asks Fleming whether this kind of video has any influence on the team's performance. CSK coach took some time to understand the question and then replied, "Mate, I have no idea. I don't even know he had a channel, so I don't follow that stuff. That's irrelevant. You guys are important." 

DC vs CSK match 

Last night, DC put a competitive 183/6 on the scoreboard. In reply, CSK was bundled for 158 in 20 overs despite 5 wickets in hand. Before Delhi, CSK tasted defeat against Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru; in all three matches, CSK fell short when they batted second.

Ravichandran Ashwin has been honored with the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, by the Government of India. He is one of the cricketers to receive this prestigious award. The announcement was made on Saturday, January 25, and Ashwin is among the 113 recipients of the Padma Shri this year.

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On behalf of @BJP4TamilNadu, we extend our good wishes to Thiru @ashwinravi99 avl, India’s unparalleled cricketer, for having been conferred with the Padma Shri.

On behalf of all cricket enthusiasts from TN, we thank our beloved PM Thiru @narendramodi avl for commending our… pic.twitter.com/RdlIJd8LYU

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) January 25, 2025

The Padma Awards were presented on the evening of January 26. This year, a total of 139 awards were announced, categorized into three levels: Padma Vibhushan (7 recipients), Padma Bhushan (19 recipients), and Padma Shri (113 recipients). The Padma Vibhushan is the 2nd highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan is the 3rd highest, and the Padma Shri is the 4th highest in India.

The Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian award. So far, only one cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar, has received it. He was given the award in 2014 and was the first sportsperson to get this honor.

Ravichandran Ashwin is receiving the Padma Shri, India’s 4th highest civilian award. With this, he becomes the 40th Indian cricketer to receive this honor. Earlier, in 2015, he was also awarded the Arjuna Award, a national sports award by the Government of India.

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Ravichandran Ashwin retired from all forms of cricket on December 18, 2024, after the 3rd Test in Brisbane. The match ended in a draw because of rain, which left little time for play and no result for India. After the match, Ashwin announced his retirement during a press conference with captain Rohit Sharma.

In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Ravichandran Ashwin played only one match, the 2nd Test in Adelaide, where he took 1 wicket. Before that, in a home series against New Zealand, he played three matches and took 9 wickets in 6 innings, one of his lowest wicket tallies in a home series, where he bowled more than 90 overs.

Ashwin is known for his consistent bowling throughout his career. In 44 Test series, he was named Player of the Series 11 times, highlighting his status as one of India's greatest match-winners, especially in Test cricket. With 537 Test wickets, he is India’s second-highest wicket-taker, behind Anil Kumble, who has 619 wickets. Globally, Ashwin ranks 8th on the all-time list of Test wicket-takers.

Veteran Australia spinner Nathan Lyon applauded star India spinner R Ashwin, considering the significant influence Ashwin has had on his career as well. The Australian spinner also named Ashwin as one of his mentors, particularly during his preparations for tours to India as well. However, Lyon has often seen footage of R Ashwin's bowling on the subcontinent's spin-friendly pitches to know his strategies and improve his own game too.

"He's taught me a lot," Lyon admitted. "I'm a big believer that the players you compete against are your best coaches. I've watched a lot of his footage heading over to India, the way he goes about it here in Australia, and see if I can pick up anything."

R Ashwin to play a key role for India

However, both the bowlers have done well in their respective careers, with Lyon generating overspin and bounce on Australian pitches, while R Ashwin has the ability to bowl relentlessly with many variations, including his famous carrom ball as well.

Reflecting on this, Nathan Lyon jokingly shared that star Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's close watch on media reports, adding, "I know Jadeja reads all of this stuff, so I can't really share all my secrets." However, he did share insight into his approach: "My big thing is spinning up the back of the ball and getting bounce, but it's a hard craft to be able to do that in Australia. Your margin for error is extremely small."

SEE ALSO: 'Gautam Gambhir is already frightened' - Ricky Ponting takes a fresh jibe ahead of BGT

As the Test series approaches, Nathan Lyon also opened up on the challenge of facing a world-class Indian side. Despite Australia's recent win over India in the World Test Championship final, Lyon said that India have the upper hand in the Border-Gavaskar series, with the Australians failing to register a Test series win in India in nearly a decade as well.

"India's got the wood over us in the past few series" - Nathan Lyon

"India's got the wood over us in the past few series, but if you're looking at the World Test Championship (final) in England, we were able to beat them there, and I know that should give us a bit of confidence heading into this summer," Nathan Lyon concluded. "I feel like we're on the journey to becoming a great team. We're not there yet, there's a bit of work to do, but we have the opportunity to do something pretty special this summer."

However, India, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, will try to bounce back from a 3-0 series whitewash to New Zealand as well. And cricket fans can expect thrilling encounters between the two sides as well.