Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was all praise for Australian spinner Nathan Lyon, saying that he could prove to be a ‘massive threat’ for the Indian cricket team, which is currently Down Under for a four-match Test series. At the end of day one of the ongoing Adelaide Test, the 33-year-old returned with figures of 1/68 from 21 overs.

“He builds pressure, he bowls very few bad balls so he’ll be a massive threat for them,” Ponting said.

“He’s had as much success as any spinner, I think, against India over the years. He’s got Virat Kohli out (in Tests) more than anybody in the history of the game, he looked like he troubled Pujara a lot today,” PTI quoted Ricky Ponting as telling cricket.com.au.

“The right-handers now that come out to bat against him – he gets so much over-spin on the ball when you’ve got fielders around the bat – they must feel like they’re going to get out every ball.

Lyon, who has taken 390 wickets in 96 Tests, bowled from wider of the crease to trouble the Indian batsmen, especially Cheteshwar Pujara.

“I think it’s more about trying to challenge both edges of the bat,” Ponting said.

“When he creates the angle from wide and angles back in, that really only challenges the inside half of the bat and a glove whereas if he can get it out a little bit wider (off the crease), it brings the catch at slip in play.

Ponting believes that small adjustments makes a lot of difference.

“It brings a bat-pad off-side catch into play and if you get the extra bounce, like Pujara’s wicket, you can still get the wicket at leg slip as well. Small adjustments, we’re only talking four or six inches, but it has so much more effect.”