Australian veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon moved past legendary fast bowler Glenn McGrath on the all-time Test wicket-taker list during the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide. Lyon claimed his 564th Test scalp, surpassing McGrath’s long-standing tally of 563 Test wickets and placing himself in outright sixth on the global list.
The milestone came early on day two at the Adelaide Oval, where Lyon dismissed Ollie Pope to draw level with McGrath before bowling Ben Duckett with a classic off-spinner to go past him. The 38-year-old’s achievement also makes him Australia’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, trailing only spin great Shane Warne on the national list.
Lyon’s reaction to the achievement was humble and reflective, describing the moment as “pretty humbling” and acknowledging the significance of overtaking one of his country’s most revered bowlers. His longevity and consistency — especially in a career that began in 2011 — were widely praised as hallmarks of his enduring success in the longest format.
This landmark adds another chapter to a remarkable Test career and underscores Lyon’s value to Australia’s bowling attack across years of international cricket.
