Nathan Lyon Surpasses Glenn McGrath in Historic Test Wicket Milestone

In a remarkable achievement during the Ashes 2025 series, Nathan Lyon has surpassed Glenn McGrath's Test wicket tally, becoming Australia's second-highest wicket-taker. His comeback in the Adelaide Test was marked by impressive performances, leading to a viral reaction from McGrath. As Australia aims to clinch the Ashes series, Lyon's milestone adds to the excitement of the ongoing matches. Discover more about this historic moment and its implications for Australian cricket.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 18, 2025, 11:57 IST

Nathan Lyon Achieves Milestone in Ashes 2025

On December 18, during the second day of the third Test in the Ashes 2025 series at Adelaide Oval, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon surpassed the legendary Glenn McGrath's record of Test wickets.

Lyon, who was absent from the playing XI in the second Test at the Gabba, made a strong comeback in the ongoing match. He quickly made an impact by taking the wickets of Ben Duckett (29) and Ollie Pope (3) in his first over, leaving England struggling at 42-3.

Australia ended Day 2 with a score of 371/3, and as England began their first innings, they faced immediate setbacks from Lyon and Pat Cummins, leading to a significant collapse.

Lyon's Record-Breaking Moment and McGrath's Reaction

Lyon's return to the team could not have been scripted better, as he overtook McGrath's tally of 563 wickets, becoming Australia's second-highest wicket-taker in Test history.

After dismissing Duckett, Lyon equaled McGrath's record and then surpassed it by taking Pope's wicket, marking his 564th career wicket. The moment was captured on camera, showing McGrath humorously pretending to throw a chair in the commentary box before laughing.

This amusing reaction from McGrath was shared by cricket.com.au and quickly gained traction on social media.

Lyon's Place in Australian Cricket History

With his 564th wicket, Lyon now stands as the second-highest wicket-taker for Australia, trailing only behind the late Shane Warne, who holds the record with 708 wickets, a benchmark that has remained unbroken for 18 years.

Despite Lyon's achievement, McGrath retains his status as the leading wicket-taker among fast bowlers for Australia, with 563 wickets from 124 Tests, solidifying his legacy as one of the game's all-time greats.

Australia's Quest for Ashes Glory

Australia is determined to secure the Ashes series and maintain their dominance over England, aiming for another victory in the ongoing series. Under the captaincy of Steve Smith, who is currently sidelined due to illness, Australia has already won the first two Tests by 8 wickets each in Perth and Brisbane, leading the series 2-0.

The team is on a remarkable 17-match unbeaten streak against England at home and is eager to extend this record as they strive for an unassailable lead in the Ashes series. With Pat Cummins back as captain and England under pressure to avoid a series defeat, Australia appears poised to dominate the Adelaide Test and secure the Ashes early.

Since regaining the Ashes in the 2017-18 series, Australia has held onto the urn, meaning that any drawn or lost series does not change their status as holders until England can reclaim them in a future series.