Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy are similar but they bowl differently, says Peter Handscomb
Todd Murphy #ToddMurphy
Australia’s Peter Handscomb stated that specialist right-arm off-spinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy are similar but they bowl differently.
The visiting Australian side became the victim of left-arm India spinner Ravindra Jadeja as the hosts bundled out Australia for just 177 on Day 1 of the first Test in Nagpur on February 9.
Jadeja, who was making his comeback after five months, took a five-wicket haul, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin returned with three wickets. In reply, India captain Rohit Sharma hit a fifty as India trailed Australia by 100 runs at stumps on Day 1.
With Jadeja and Axar Patel bowling more than half of India’s overs, Handscomb stressed that Lyon and Murphy can give a headache to India.
“Yes, they both spin it the same way but they do it differently, similar to how Jadeja and (Ravichandran) Ashwin challenge you in different ways,” Handscomb said in the press conference.
“‘Gazza’ (Lyon) and ‘Murph’ will do that as well. They have separate plans, it’s not just going to be the same bowling from each end with the same fields, they’ll chop their change over and around as well. They will stick to their plans, they won’t try to bowl like each other. Hopefully that difference is enough.”
Australia’s only best moment on Day 1 came when Murphy caught and bowled KL Rahul for his maiden Test wicket.
Meanwhile, Handscomb, who was picked ahead of Ashton Agar, added that it was difficult to score runs on the Nagpur track against Jadeja.
“It is tough out there,” said Handscomb. “Jadeja was obviously bowling very well, not really giving our batsmen a lot to hit and I found him tough to score (against). It definitely wasn’t easy out there. The Indian team bowl really well as a unit and didn’t give us much to score off.”
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