Recent form bodes well for Australia's most prolific off-spinner, whose 16 wickets for the current series is the most of any bowler.

Lyon claimed 63 scalps to edge Rabada and Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin as the premier Test bowler last year.

He proved to be the difference for Australia in the second Test in Perth, where he snared eight wickets and earned man of the match honours.

"It does seem like he is getting better," Australian skipper Tim Paine said in Perth.

"I feel like at any stage you can throw him the ball. It doesn't matter at what end, or who is on strike, what time of day it is ... he loves it, and he loves getting in the contest, even with the bat at the moment.

"I think his game keeps going to another level. I can feel guys growing in confidence around Nathan and that's what you want from your senior players."

MOST TEST WICKETS 2018
* Dilruwan Perera (Sri Lanka) - 50
* Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) - 49
* Nathan Lyon (Australia) - 48
* Mohammed Shami (India) - 44
* Jimmy Anderson (England), Taijul Islam (Bangladesh) - 43.

AAP