ADAM LYTH is preparing for his Pakistan Super League debut this weekend - with a ringing endorsement that he could play and excel in any domestic T20 league in the world.

That is the view of Yorkshire’s bowling coach Rich Pyrah, himself a T20 all-rounder of some repute during his playing days.

And that is very much how Pyrah views 33-year-old Lyth. An all-rounder.

Many will label the 2015 Ashes and two-time County Championship winner as an opening batsman, but he is much more than that.

“Add in to the way he bats, he’s one of the best fielders in the country and is a very, very canny off-spinner,” said Pyrah. “Another very important attribute is the way he speaks to young players. He’s a real leader in that sense.”

Lyth has been signed on as a replacement player to represent the Multan Sultans in the play-off stages of the Pakistan competition delayed by coronavirus in March.

Many of those available then are unavailable now, for a number of reasons, and Lyth is replacing West Indian Fabian Allen between Saturday and Tuesday when the White Rose star could play a maximum of three matches, including a final.

Pyrah jokes that he should be taking some commission for Lyth’s deal having tweeted late last month during the Indian Premier League: “A lot of IPL replacements at the minute. I find it crazy how teams around the world aren’t looking at Lythy - one of the most consistent (and) explosive players in the world in my opinion. Bats, bowls and fields.”

Well, the Sultans are looking, and Pyrah reckons more should follow for a player who has had previous experience playing in the Bangladesh Premier League and the T10 League out in the United Arab Emirates.

“He’s always had the talent and quality, but this last two or three years he’s really worked his game out and is putting in consistent performances because of that,” Pyrah told yorkshireccc.com.

“Whoever the bowler, seam or spin, he seems to be able to hit it 360 degrees, which makes him so hard to bowl at.

“You get people at the top of the order who are predominantly good against seam. But look at Lythy’s stats and he’s good against both seam and spin.

“That was why I tweeted. For me, he’s consistently the best T20 opening batter, certainly in county cricket and probably beyond.”

Lyth has scored 2,934 runs from 122 career T20 appearances, taking 21 wickets with his off-spinners and pouching 62 catches.

He is Yorkshire’s all-time T20 leading run-scorer with 2,927 runs, is the English record holder for the highest individual score (161 - the fourth highest in the world) and is one of only seven men to have taken five wickets in an innings for Yorkshire. Pyrah is also one of those. His 57 career catches for Yorkshire is also a club record.

Pyrah added: “He hits all types of bowling all around the ground.

“He hits a little bit squarer than most because he’s a small lad with good quick hands, so he’s strong square over the leg-side and square over the off-side. He scores a lot of runs there (over the off-side), so they’ll drop it short and he’ll pull it for six. He’s so hard to bowl at.

“He doesn’t really change his set-up from white ball to red ball.

“He might stay a bit more leg-side in T20 and one-day cricket. That’s why he’s so consistent, because his game doesn’t change much. He’s such a natural hitter of the ball."