Pat Cummins believes Nathan Lyon could join the late Shane Warne in passing 700 Test wickets after he became only the third Australian to take 500 scalps.
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Lyon joined legendary pair Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563) in the exclusive 500-club when he took his fourth wicket of the victorious first Test against Pakistan.
"(The milestone) is something I'm very proud about," Lyon said after Australia's 360-run win in Perth on Sunday.
"I don't think it's probably hit me yet.
"There's been a lot of hard work go into the journey. I've had a lot more bad days than good days.
"It was pretty special to be able to take 500 in the first Test back (from a calf injury)."
The 36-year-old appears a strong chance to surpass McGrath in the coming years.
Lyon has previously flagged his desire to feature in a winning Ashes series in England. The next one is scheduled for 2027, when he would be 39.
Cummins believes his long-time teammate could even reach 700 wickets, a marker only hit by legendary leg-spinner Warne and Sri Lankan tweaker Muttiah Muralitharan thus far.
"I still think you've got, say 40, 50 Test matches (left)," the Australian captain said to Lyon at a joint post-match press conference.
"That's four or five years, 10 (Tests) a year. You probably average what? Four a game? That's another couple hundred; 700."
Lyon claimed allrounder Faheem Ashraf to reach 500, having been stranded on 499 after the first innings.
Playing his first Test on return from the serious calf injury incurred on this year's Ashes tour, Lyon had multiple close calls earlier in the second innings.
Umpire Richard Illingworth denied two shouts for lbw either side of the tea break and a review for caught-behind on Ashraf was also unsuccessful.
But sending an lbw shout upstairs was enough to raise the milestone.
"Pat didn't want to review it," Lyon joked.
For good measure, Lyon (2-14) bowled Aamir Jamal later in the same over.
Lyon's first wicket proved the beginning of the end for Pakistan, who slumped to 7-79 and were all out only three overs later.
After being plucked out of relative obscurity to make his Test debut in Sri Lanka in 2011, Lyon has become Australia's greatest offspinner across 123 matches.
Now, he sits eighth all-time for most Test wickets taken, with formidable West Indies quick Courtney Walsh (519) next in his sights.
MOST WICKETS IN TEST CRICKET:
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) - 800
2. Shane Warne (Australia) - 708
3. Jimmy Anderson (England) - 690*
4. Anil Kumble (India) - 619
5. Stuart Broad (England) - 604
6. Glenn McGrath (Australia) - 563
7. Courtney Walsh (West Indies) - 519
8. Nathan Lyon (Australia) - 501*
(* denotes: still playing)
Australian Associated Press
