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Australia's seasoned spinner Nathan Lyon opened up about the overwhelming expectations he faced at the start of his career, tasked with filling the shoes of legendary 'King of Spin' Shane Warne after his retirement, even after a decade at the helm.

The 36-year-old admitted that it was hard for him to cope with the expectations placed on him by the Aussie fans and media, who were desperate for him to fill the void of spin great and become the next big spin sensation after Warne's retirement.

Warne's retirement from cricket in 2007 with a staggering 708 wickets left behind a legacy that was difficult to fill. However, Lyon, who made his debut in the Test in 2011, felt the weight of living up to the expectations of Australian fans, who are still reeling from the loss of their beloved "King of Spin."

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"I probably struggled with it early doors because you would be trying your hardest every game, but I feel like the media and the Australian public were asking, 'who's the next spinner? We need a spinner to do what Shane Warne did on the last day,'" Lyon told Sky Cricket.

"And I'm 10 matches into my first-class career. I'm never going to be able to do what Warnie did. Warnie's once-in-a-generation, he's the greatest to play the game in my opinion."

So far Lyon has played 129 Test matches, bagging 530 wickets at an average of 30.28. The 36-year-old spinner revealed that comparison to Warne continued throughout his career.

"All I wanted to do was make my family proud and make Shane Warne proud and just go out there and compete," Lyon said of playing under constant pressure.

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Lyon reflected on his journey, revealing that it took years to understand and adopt the concept that pressure is a privilege. He saw the comparisons to Warne as a testament to his own character and credibility in the game, despite the initial challenges.

"I still feel in the shadow of Shane Warne now and I'm 129 Test matches in with 530 wickets. The thing is, I'm happy with that, and I'm comfortable with that now. A lot of us felt the pressure of Shane Warne's shadow... and it probably took me a good five, six, seven years to understand that pressure is a privilege. And if you've got pressure, you're doing OK, enjoy it," Lyon remarked.

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