Australian off-spinner Todd Murphy claims five-wicket haul on Test debut to stun India
Todd Murphy #ToddMurphy
Fifteen years after Jason Krejza stunned India with an eight-wicket haul in Nagpur, another Australian off-spinner is turning heads on Test debut at the same venue.
Todd Murphy, with only seven first-class matches under his belt, was handed his baggy green this week after a prolific Sheffield Shield campaign for Victoria, beating out Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson for the gig.
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It was a brave call from the national selectors — Australia had not picked two strike off-spinners in a Test match since 1988, traditionally favouring tweakers who turn the ball in opposite directions.
But Murphy’s selection has proven a masterstroke, with the 22-year-old taking a five-wicket haul in India’s first innings at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, becoming the youngest Australian spinner to achieve the feat in Tests.
The spectacled youngster, a Daniel Vettori lookalike, snared Australia’s first breakthrough on Thursday afternoon, with Indian opener KL Rahul chipping a return catch back to Murphy for his maiden Test wicket.
Following the morning session’s drinks break on day two, Murphy returned to the attack and removed nightwatchman Ravichandran Ashwin after successfully overturning an on-field LBW call through DRS.
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He then grabbed the crucial scalp of Cheteshwar Purjara, albeit with his least threatening ball of the morning — the Indian No. 3 looked to paddle a length delivery that was flying down the leg side, instead top-edging a regulation catch towards short fine leg.
But the best was yet to come for Murphy, who dismissed Indian superstar Virat Kohli immediately after the lunch break. Kohli looked to tickle the off-spinner through fine leg, with Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey holding onto a superb catch down the leg side.
Murphy, who 12 months ago was a fringe state cricketer struggling to break into Victoria’s starting XI, suddenly boasted figures of 4-39 from 16 overs, single-handedly keeping Australia in the contest.
“This is what dreams are made of,” former Test batter Mark Waugh said in commentary.
As revealed by statistician Swamp, Murphy became the first Australian bowler to take the team’s opening four wickets on Test debut since 1957, when Ian Meckiff achieved the feat against South Africa.
Murphy secured the five-wicket haul after the tea break following another DRS masterstroke from captain Pat Cummins, dismissing Indian wicketkeeper KS Bharat LBW to become the first Australian spinner to claim a Test five-fa before their 23rd birthday since Joey Palmer, who achieved the feat against England in 1882.
“This time last year I was still not in the state side, so it has been quite quick progress,” Murphy told reporters at stumps.
“But one of the biggest things for me was getting to go to Sri Lanka and being on that A tour (last year) and having a little bit of success over there that probably gave me the confidence I needed going back to Australia that I could mix it with first-class cricketers.
“Being around some of the guys who had played Test cricket, observing everything and competing in the nets and bowling to the Sri Lankans – I took a lot of confidence out of that.
“I think there’s definitely nerves but there’s also excitement about just being out there and trying to embrace it and just enjoy it and bowl to these sort of guys, some of the best players in the world.
“It’s exciting and (I’ve) sort of got nothing to lose, so I’ve tried to go out there and try to really enjoy it and just compete as hard as I can. Thankfully, today there’s a few rewards, I didn’t get too overawed by it and just tried to embrace it.”
To the surprise of many, Murphy outclassed veteran spinner Nathan Lyon on Friday morning; the heir apparent was more consistent, getting the ball to drift and threatening both edges of the bat.
“I thought he was fantastic, I like the cut of his jib,” former Australian spinner Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Cricket.
“Trajectory, loop, angle, curve … he‘s the future of Australian spin.
“The hitters can’t get under him because he bowls a 92km/h loop. He’s under their eye line.
“Murphy’s natural seam rotation is so suited to Indian pitches … Lyon is a bounce bowler, and there’s no bounce.
“(Murphy’s) not looking to bounce the ball, he’s looking to hit pads.”