NEW DELHI: Australia's leading off-spinner Nathan Lyon offered a sincere tribute to contemporary Ravichandran Ashwin following the Indian bowler's retirement announcement.
Speaking after the Brisbane Test, which ended in a draw, Lyon expressed his profound respect for Ashwin and praised his exceptional abilities.
Ashwin declared his immediate retirement from all cricket formats after the third Test against Australia at the Gabba on Wednesday.
Lyon shared his thoughts on Fox Cricket, stating: "Nothing but respect (for Ashwin). Just the way Ash has conducted himself on and off the field for a number of years now, and his skill set is incredible. We've got different opinions on different things, there's no right or wrong. But to have those conversations with a bowler like Ashwin is amazing."
The day had begun with Ashwin and Lyon engaging in detailed discussions about bowling techniques. Lyon revealed their conversation covered various aspects of spin bowling, including different variations and tactics. He expressed hope for continued dialogue throughout the series and beyond.
Ashwin's departure comes during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having participated in just the Adelaide Test, which resulted in India's ten-wicket defeat.
His final Test appearance yielded one wicket and scores of 22 and 7. Ravindra Jadeja took his place for the third Test, whilst Washington Sundar featured in the Perth opener.
Lyon questioned Ashwin's exclusion from the team, stating: "It's an interesting question. You've got someone sitting (on the bench) with 530-odd Test wickets, and I'm walking to the ground, scratching my head, saying, 'What are you doing?' He's proven that he is one of the world's best spin bowlers to ever play the game."
Ashwin's distinguished career encompassed 106 Tests, 116 ODIs, and 65 T20Is, during which he claimed 765 wickets across all formats.
His Test career featured 37 five-wicket hauls and seven ten-wicket match hauls. With a career average of 24 and strike rate of 50.7, Ashwin concludes his career as the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test history and the most successful off-spinner, although Lyon is positioned to surpass this achievement.
As a capable lower-order batter, Ashwin accumulated 3,503 Test runs at an average of 25.75, including six centuries and 14 half-centuries.
