"They Are Not Lower-Order Batters...": Australia Star Lauds Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin's Show

Had Nathan Lyon been an India skipper, he would have issued a quick rebuttal if someone had dared to refer Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin as lower-order batters. On an interesting second day, Ashwin (37) and Axar (74) added 114 runs for the eighth wicket after India had slumped to 139/7, with Lyon taking his 22nd five-wicket haul in Test cricket. The Australian spinner complimented the two India players for their gritty batting display, saying the duo could easily bat at No.6 for any Test-playing team.

"They are not lower-order (batters). Let's get that clear. Axar and Ash could easily bat in the top-six in a few teams in Test cricket around the world in my eyes. They (India) have a very long top order, let's just say that," said Lyon.

Thanks to the efforts of Axar and Ashwin, India kept Australia's first-innings lead down to just one run. Australia have started aggressively in their second innings scoring 61/1, but Lyon said he will not get into any target setting at the moment.

"I'm not going to give you a number. Whatever we get we have to make sure it's enough. That's the mentality we need to do (go with); we need to come here tomorrow and be really brave." Travis Head has come out all guns blazing scoring 39 in quick time and Lyon said he trusts his team-mate's aggressive methods.

"We need to trust the guys' methods when they have the support of the whole change room to go out there and play the way they want to play and the way they think they can combat the quality bowling India have. Whatever we set, we have just got to make sure it's enough." Lyon said the more bounce he could extract from the Ferozeshah Kotla track had helped him immensely.

"There is (a) lot more bounce in Delhi compared to Nagpur, which I