Ashes: Todd Murphy is hopeful for spinners having a big role in Sydney Test

Australian spinner Todd Murphy in action. (FILE PHOTO: Reuters)

Australian off-spinner Todd Murphy is hopeful of spinners having a role in the fifth and final Test of the Ashes 2025-26 series at Sydney Cricket Ground. Spin hasn’t played much of a role in the ongoing series, with pacers dominating the proceedings right from the Perth Test.

The SCG has historically favoured spinners. While England have sidelined 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 due to injury and the Sydney Cricket Ground being a favoured venue for spinners, Murphy has reasons to believe that he might have a big role to play in his debut home Test.

“I don’t think going into the series there was ever that planning or idea that spin wouldn’t play a role. 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,” said Murphy.

Murphy has picked 22 wickets in seven Tests thus far, all of which have come away from home. He also understands that Lyon will always be a first-choice spinner for Australia at home.

“(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,” he said.

Murphy’s last appearance for Australia came in February 2025 in Sri Lanka.

Speaking about the conditions at SCG, he said: “I think it definitely can spin. 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.”