Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon reached a historic milestone on Sunday, claiming his 500th Test wicket by dismissing Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf in the first Test in Perth. Lyon, a 36-year-old veteran known for his longevity, joined an exclusive ‘legendary club’ comprising just seven other cricketers. His achievement came in his 123rd match, and he became only the third Australian cricketer to accomplish the feat, following the iconic Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563).

Utilizing the Decision Review System (DRS), Lyon secured his 500th wicket, leading to dramatic scenes in the stadium as the third umpire overturned the on-field umpire’s decision.

The career Test wicket leaderboard stands as follows:

– 800 – Muttiah Muralitharan

– 708 – Shane Warne

– 690 – James Anderson*

– 619 – Anil Kumble

– 604 – Stuart Broad

– 563 – Glenn McGrath

– 519 – Courtney Walsh

– 501 – Nathan Lyon*

Before the Perth Test, Lyon acknowledged the significance of the milestone and credited India’s Ravichandran Ashwin for playing a role in his career. Lyon, just four wickets away from the 500-mark, expressed his respect for Ashwin and admitted to learning from him throughout their encounters worldwide.

Reflecting on their nearing shared achievement, Lyon expressed admiration for Ashwin and hinted at a post-career meeting over a beer to discuss their cricketing journeys.

“It’s pretty amazing to see we’re both creeping up to that 500 mark, and we’ll see where we end up. Hopefully, at the end of our career, we’ll sit down and have a nice feed and a beer and talk about it,” Lyon shared.