Star Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon recently talked about the immense pressure he faced at the start of his career, stepping into the shoes of the legendary spinner Shane Warne. Lyon, now one of the finest spinners, opined on the constant comparisons with Warne and the challenges that came with it as well. In a candid conversation, he revealed how difficult it was to cope with the expectations after Warne’s retirement.

“I probably struggled with it early doors because you would be trying your hardest every game, but I feel like the media and the Australian public were asking, ‘who’s the next spinner? We need a spinner to do what Shane Warne did on the last day,'” Lyon told Sky Cricket. “And I’m 10 matches into my first-class career. I’m never going to be able to do what Warnie did. Warnie’s once-in-a-generation, he’s the greatest to play the game in my opinion.”

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However, Nathan Lyon, who has now played 129 Test matches and picked up 530 wickets at an average of 30.28, said that despite his achievements, the comparisons to Warne persisted throughout his career. Although it feels more comfortable now for him, the early years were particularly tough for him as he grappled with trying to live up to the expectations as well.

“All I wanted to do was make my family proud and make Shane Warne proud and just go out there and compete,” Lyon added, acknowledging the constant pressure.”

“I still feel in the shadow of Shane Warne now and I’m 129 Test matches in with 530 wickets,” Nathan Lyon concluded. “The thing is, I’m happy with that, and I’m comfortable with that now. A lot of us felt the pressure of Shane Warne’s shadow… and it probably took me a good five, six, seven years to understand that pressure is a privilege. And if you’ve got pressure, you’re doing OK, enjoy it.”