Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has strongly criticized Australian spinner Nathan Lyon’s bold prediction that Australia will sweep the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series against India by a 5-0 margin. Lyon’s comments, made on the Willow Talk podcast, have sparked controversy and drawn a sharp response from Ali.
Ali dismissed Lyon’s prediction as “stupid,” arguing that such remarks should not come from a cricketer. He pointed out that India has dominated Australia in the past two BGT series and that Lyon’s comments were disrespectful. Ali urged Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to respond to Lyon’s challenge and predict a 5-0 victory for India.
Despite the BGT series being several months away, players from both sides have begun expressing their excitement and making bold predictions. While Lyon believes Australia will cruise to victory, his compatriot Travis Head has acknowledged the strength of the Indian team. Head stated that India is “extremely difficult” to play against and that he is looking forward to contributing to Australia’s success in the upcoming series.
The Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia is one of the most highly anticipated events in the cricketing calendar. The first Test will be played in Perth on November 22, and the series is expected to be fiercely competitive.
