Murphy eyes bigger role for spinners at SCG

Spin hasn't played much of a role in the ongoing Ashes, but offspinner Todd Murphy is hopeful that won't be the case in the final Test of the series, set to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground, a venue that has historically supported spinners.

While England have resisted the temptation of playing their frontline spinner, Shoaib Bashir, in the four Tests so far, Nathan Lyon too has had only a limited role to play for Australia. However, with Lyon out injured and SCG promising an opportunity for Murphy, the offspinner has reasons to believe that he will have a big role to play in a home Test.

"I don't think going into the series there was ever that planning or idea that spin wouldn't play a role," Murphy said on Thursday. "I think it's sort of just been how it's eventuated. I think it'll evolve from year to year. Next year it could be completely different."

Murphy has picked 22 wickets in 7 Tests so far, all of which have come away from home. His last appearance for Australia came in February 2025 at Galle. At home, since making his debut in February 2023, he has had to wait his turn with Lyon leading the spin department.

But that wait hasn't come as a surprise for him.

"[When I made my debut] I probably understood back then it was never going to be linear for me. I was never going to keep my place in the team when Nathan came back and I was always going to have to go back through Shield cricket and keep developing.

"At that stage I was only 23 so I still felt like I had a long way to go to be at my best. I still feel like I'm trying to discover that as well and continuing to get better. It's been a couple of years there where I've just been working away and trying to find the best version of myself."

Murphy might finally get that chance to lead Australia's spin attack in the fifth Test. Even as there isn't much to read from the surface as yet, Murphy is expecting some help, a knowledge he takes from playing for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League.

"I think it definitely can spin," he said. "We've played on some BBL wickets here where it has taken spin. I've only played a couple of Shield games and don't think it's ever done anything extraordinary out there. I don't think recently it's been massive spin but there's still been a big part of the game that spin played."

Over the last decade, Australia have largely resisted the temptation of going in with two frontline spinners for Tests at Sydney. It has got to do with the fast bowling stocks they had at their disposal, while also struggling to find high-quality spinners on surfaces where there haven't been as much assistance.

"Shield cricket over the last couple of years, which is what I've had the main experience in, has evolved a little bit to be more seam friendly," he said. "I think that comes from just the importance of results in four-day cricket and spin probably just doesn't break up enough in four days.

"So they've probably gone down the path of trying to make it speed up at the start of the game, but I still think you look across all games and spin still plays a massive part. So there's always a role there for you to play, it might just not be day four and bowling 30 overs to spin your team to victory, but it still feels like you've always got a part to play in the game.

"I think I've probably learnt that. Your job's not always to come on and take wickets. It might be to play a holding role for four or five overs for the quicks so they can have a break and then come back. And that can be just as important. I think you've got to find ways to try and still be effective out there and still be able to play a role for what the team needs."