Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Todd Murphy is something very special, says Steve O’Keefe ahead of Nagpur Test

New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 9, 2023 12:47 IST

Todd Murphy handed his Test debut against India in Nagpur (AFP Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: Former Australia spin bowler Steve O’Keefe has showered praise on Todd Murphy, saying he is something very special. Murphy was picked to make his debut in the first Test of the four-match Border-Gavaskar series at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur.

Speaking about Murphy’s selection, O’Keefe called Murphy something very special, adding that he hasn’t been tyhis excited about an off-spinner since Nathan Lyon.

“He (Murphy) is something very, very special. I haven’t been this excited about an off-spinner since Nathan Lyon,” O’Keefe said on SEN Radio.

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He went on to say that Murphy bowls with overspin and drop, adding that he has got a lot of skills in his armory to trouble India.

“I think he bowls with overspin and drop. Not only that, he’s got a lot of skills to his armory. He can bowl square seam which is important over there. Todd Murphy is the guy in his brief cricket journey so far who can use all of those skills in certain parts of the game and really exploit them,” O’Keefe added.

The former cricketer said Murphy will make for a suitable replacement for Lyon in the next 12-18 months.

“I think what you’ll see with Todd is he can bowl the classic off-spinner along with three or four other (types of deliveries). I can see him in the next 12-18 months being a suitable replacement for Nathan Lyon and I think we’ll see that straight away in this first Test,” said O’Keefe.

He said Murphy will have to bowl tight spells against India and will have to play the containing role for Australia.

“Todd’s going to have to bowl tight, he’s going to have to bowl straight and he’s going to have to do that containing role because the last thing you want over there is two spinners that are going at four an over there, particularly if you only have two quicks,” O’Keefe added.

Edited By:

Rounaq Sehrawat

Published On:

Feb 9, 2023