During a recent press conference held in Mumbai, Australian coach Darren Lehmann said Lyon is the premier spinner in the Australian team and is predicted to produce the best performance of his career in the sub-continent despite his struggles in previous matches.

Lehmann’s positive comments are vastly different from those Lyon was facing earlier this summer when the 29-year-old was on several occasions in danger of being dropped from the Australian Test side.

Pundits were soon proven that they’d made the right decision in keeping the former Young player on their side with his game-changing performances when the Test side took on Pakistan last month.

Lyon and Steve O’Keefe have been backed by the Australian selectors to be the best of the Australian spinners during the tour of India and will have backup in the form of all-rounders Ashton Agar and Glenn Maxwell.

Selectors and cricket community alike were very public in their comments and opinions on how Lyon preformed during the Australian team’s tour of Sri Lanka last year, which is the opposite of where Lyon is now with his position in the twelve secured.

Lehmann’s opinion and selection will add extra pressure on Lyon to perform well during the opening Test matches in India.

“Nathan Lyon, he’s our premier spinner and we expect him to bowl really well for us,” Lehmann said.

“We have to work out our best attack to take 20 wickets and we’ll wait and see what wicket we get in Pune.

“It really gives us options. They’re all good kids and they’ll learn.”

During the press conference, Lehmann hinted that the team picked to play in Mumbai on Friday will closely resemble to side that will face the first Test match in Pune.

Lehmann indicated that there is a possibility that fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood may sit out the match however he believes that the team’s focus shouldn’t be on results but being competitive within the tour.

Australian Test captain Steve Smith said that the team has gained confidence since their whitewash loss in the Sri Lankan tour and he and the side believe that anything is possible.

“You learn more from losing games than winning. I think this team has come a long way, we’re learning a lot, willing to put in the hard work to get the best out of ourselves and the team is happy with where everything is at the moment,” Smith said.