Darren Lehmann picks Nathan Lyon's ideal bowling partner for India Tests

Ashton Agar in action [Source: Twitter]

After whitewashing South Africa in their backyard, Australia will tour India for a four-match Test series next month. 

Considering their modest record on Indian soil, the tour is expected to be a litmus test for the Australian team. 

As Australia will come with four spinners, it will be interesting to see who they field alongside Nathan Lyon in the series. 

Meanwhile, former Australian head coach Darren Lehmann has urged the visitors to prioritise finger spinners and hence prefer Ashton Agar over Mitchell Swepson in the series. 

Speaking to Australia radio station SENQ, the former all-rounder explained how a finger spinner could be more lethal than a leg spinner in India, citing the example of Steve O'Keefe, who put up a match-winning performance in Pune on the 2017 tour. 

Here's what Lehmann stated

"Having been there, I’m probably more inclined to play finger spinners. It just gets through the air quicker and some spin and some don’t. The leg-spinners sometimes spin it too much, if that makes sense (for finger spinners) some skid on and you get beaten on the inside and you get an LBW,

"That’s probably why they’re looking at a finger spinner. We certainly did that four years ago (2017) and Steve O’Keefe bowled India out basically on his own in one of the last Test matches to win there. That’s why I’d be looking at someone like an Agar, bat a little bit, bowl as that second spinner."

The first Test between India and Australia is scheduled in Nagpur, following which the Caravan will shift to Delhi, Dharamsala and Ahmedabad for the remaining matches. 

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